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The Times of the Rebellion 



IN THE WEST: 



A COLLECTION OF MISCELLANIES,, 



Showing the part taken in the War by each Western State- 
Notices of Eminent Officers — Descriptions of Prominent 
Battles — Conspiracies in the West to aid the Rebel- 
lion — Incidents of Guerrilla and Border War- 
fare — Individual Adventures — Anecdotes 
Illustrating the Heroism of West- 
ern Soldiers, Etc., Etc., Etc. 



ILLUSTRATED BY LARGE BOLD ENGRAVINGS.' 



^ 



By HENRY'HOWE. 




CINCINNATI: 

No. Ill Main Street, 
HOWE'S SUBSCRIPTION BOOK CONCERN. 

ESTABLISHED BY HENRY HOWE IX 1847. 
y. A. HOWK, Proprietok. IIEXRY HOWE, Manaobb. 

1867. 



Ei+70 



■ 'i 



.H?c 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1867 

By F. a. HOWE, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 

District of Ohio. 



Introduction 



A few words only are necessary to introduce this 
collection to the reader, for the title page gives a gen- 
eral idea of its intent and scope. 

The literature of the Rebellion already large, will 
for many years continue to receive important accessions. ' 

This collection contains many of the minor matters ^- 
which we all like to see preserved, and which will not 
find a place in general history. Yet they are import- 
ant in refreshing our memories of those troublous times 
which entered so Avidely and thrillingly into our general 
experience. 

The heroic part borne by the people of the West, 
in extinguishing the gigantic rebellion entered into to 
destroy our Union, requires no encomium here. It is 
partly illustrated in these pages. To do so fully would 
require volumes. 



Contents. 



Tb: 



PAGE 

ES OF THE Rebellion in Ohio, 7 

" '* West Virginia, ------ 35 

" " Indiana, 51 

" " Kentucky, - .. gy 

" " Illinois, 121 

" " Michigan, 155 

" " Wisconsin, 171 

" " Minnesota, 185 

" " Iowa, 193 

" " Missouri, - 211 

" " Kansas, 245 



ENGRAVINGS, 



Union Family Fleeing from Guerrillas, . - . . Frontispiece. 
The Squirrel Hunters of Ohio and Indiana Crossing the Pontoons at 

Cincinnati, 10 

Averill's Eaid, ■ 44 

Volunteers of Indiana Swearing to Remember Buena Vista, - - 53 

The People of Louisville, principally Women and Children, driven out 

of the City by the Order of General Nelson, encamping on the 

Banks of the Ohio, 95 

Funeral of Abraham Lincoln at Springfield, 128 

Capture of Jefferson Davis by the Michigan Cavalry, - - - - 162 

Porter's Gunboats Passing the Red River Dam, 172 

Identification of Sioux Murderers by a Boy Survivor op the Massacre, 182 
Volunteers of Iowa Raising the American Flag over the new Capitol 

AT Columbia, South Carolina, 200 

Massacre at Lawrence, Kans^vs, 234 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE REBELLION 

IN 

OHIO. 



No state has more cause to be gratified with her record during the 
life and death struggle of the nation than Ohio. Her sons have been 
among the bravest in the field, and the wisest in the council. Her 
patriotic governors, who have ever given such a warm support to all 
measures affecting the public good, and the cabinet ofiicer, who so 
wisely devised means for furnishing the sinews of war, have rendered 
service not less efficient than that of her generals, who have marshaled 
vast armies, and achieved great victories. 

But not less honor is due to those who, with their bayonets in the 
field, and their ballots at home, have done so much for the union and 
perpetuity of our government. 

How freely she contributed blood and treasure is manifest from the 
following facts. At the beginning of 1865, she had 100,000 men en- 
listed in the military service of the general government; and the 
grand total furnished, from the beginning of the war, then amounted 
to 3-46.326. The total loss of Ohio soldiers to January, 1805, was 
estimated at 30,000. 

The state pays one tenth of the internal revenue tax. For the 
year ending Isovember 1, 1805, this was placed at $24,000,000. The 
total landed pi^operty in the state was, in value, exclusive of town lots, 
$500,000,000, divided among 277,000 owners. 

The early dixjs of the rebellion were marked, in Ohio, by the same 
features of enthusiastic uprising of the people as in the other loyal 
states : but it was not until the last days of the summer of 1862, that 
the sensation of danger from the presence of the enemy on her soil 
was experienced. This was the threatened invasion of Cincinnati by 
Kirby 8mith. 

TriE Siege of Cincinnati. — After the unfortunate battle of Eich- 
mond, on the 29th of August, Kirby Smith, with his 15,000 rebel vet- 
erans, advanced into the heart of Kentucky, took possession of Lex- 
ington. Frankfort, and Maysville. Bragg, with his large army, was 
then crossing the Kentucky line ; while Morgan, with his guerrilla 
cavalry, was already joined to Smith. Pondrous-proportioned Hum- 
phrey Marshall was also busy swelling the rebel ranks with reci'uits 
from the fiery young Kentuckians. Affairs looked threateningly on 
the border. tj 



3 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

General Lewis "Wallace was at once placed in command at Cincin 
nati, by order of Major-General "Wright. Soon as he arrived in the 
city, on Thursday, the 4th of September, he put Cincinnati, and the 
two cities on the Kentucky side of the Ohio, Newport and Covington, 
under marshal law, and, within half an hour of his arrival, he issued 
a proclamation suspending all business, stopping the ferry-boats from 
plying the river, and summoning all citizens to enrol themselves for 
defense. It was most effective. It totally closed business, and sent 
every citizen,' without distinction, to the ranks or into the trenches. 
Nor was it needless, for the enemy, within a few days thereafter, ad- 
vanced to within five miles of the city, on the Kentucky side, and 
skirmished with our outposts. A painter, of the time, draws this pic- 
ture of the events. 

The ten days ensuing will be forever memorable in the annals of the city of Cin- 
cinnati. The cheerful alacrity with which the people rose en masse to swell the 
ranks and crowd into the trenches was a sight worth seeing. Of course, there 
were a few timid creatures who feared to obey the summons. Sudden illness 
overtook some. Others were hunted up by armed men with fixed bayonets; fer- 
reted from back kitchens, garrets and cellars where they were hiding. One peace- 
fully excited individual was found in his wife's clothes, scrubbing at the wash-tub. 
He was put in one of the German working parties, who received him with shouts 
of laughter. 

The citizens thus collected were the representatives of of all classes and many 
nativities. The man of money, the man of law, the merchant, the artist, and the 
artisan swelled the lines, hastening to the scene of action, armed either with mus- 
ket, pick or spade. 

But the pleasantest and most picturesque sight of those remarkable days was 
the almost endless stream of sturdy men who rushed to the rescue from the rural 
districts of the state. These were known as the ^' squirrel-hunteis." They came 
in files, numbering thousands upon thousands, in all kinds of costumes, and armed 
with all kinds of fire-arms, but chiefly the deadly rifle, which they knew so well 
how to use. 

Old men, middle-aged men, and often mere boys, like the "minute men" of the 
old Revolution, they dropped all their peculiar avocations, and with their leathern 
pouches full of bullets, and their oxhorns full of powder, by every railroad and 
by-way, in such numbers that it seemed as if the whole State of Ohio were peo- 
pled only with hunters, and that the spirit of Daniel Boone stood upon the hills 
opposite the town beckoning them into Kentucky. 

The pontoon bridge over the Ohio, which had been begun and completed be- 
tween sundown and sundown, groaned day and night with the perpetual stream of 
of life, all setting southward. In three days, there were ten miles of intrench- 
ments lining the Kentucky hills, making a semi-circle from the river above the 
city to the banks of the river below; and these were thickly manned, from end to 
end, and made terrible to the astonished enemy by black and frowning cannon. 

General Ileth, with his 15,000 veterans, flushed with their late success at Rich- 
mond, drew up before these formidable preparations, and d6emed it prudent to 
take the matter into serious consideration, before making thg attack. 

Our men were eagerly awaiting their approach, thousands in rifle-pits and ten3 
of thousands along the whole line of fortifications, while our scouts and pickets 
were skirmishing with their outposts in the plains in front. Should the foe make 
a sudden dash and carry any point of our lines, it was thought by some that 
nothing would prevent them from entering Cincinnati. 

But for this, provision was also made. The city, above and below, was well- 

{>rotected by a flotilla of gun-boats, improvised from the swarm of steamers which 
ay at the wharves. The shrewd leaders of the rebel army were probably kept 
well-posted, by traitors within our own lines, in regard to the reception prepared 
for them, and taking advantage of the darkness of night and the violence of a 



IN OHIO. 9 

thunder storm, made a hasty and ruinous retreat. Wallace was anxious to follow, 
and was confident of success, but was oveiTuled by those higher in authority. 

To the above general view of the siege, we contibute our individual 
ex|ierienee. Such an experience of the entire war in a diary by a 
citizen, of the genius of Defoe, would outlive a hundred common his- 
tories ; centuries hence be jjreserved among the choice collections of 
American historic literature. It would illustrate, as nothing else could, 
the inner life of our people in this momentous period — their varying 
emotions and sentiments ; their surprise and indignation at the trea- 
son to the beautiful country of their love ; their never-equaled patri- 
otism and generosity; their unquenchable hope; the almost despair 
that, at times, settled upon them, when all seemed but lost, through 
the timidity and irresolution of weak generals in the field; the in- 
trigues and intended ti'cachery of demagogues at home. Then the 
groping forward, like children in the dark, of millions of \oja\ hearts 
for some mighty arm to guide ; some mighty intellect to reveal and 
thus relieve the awful suspense as to the future ; as though any mere 
man had an attribute that alone is of God. Finally, through the 
agony of sore adversities came the looking upward to the only power 
that could help. Thus the religious instincts became deepened. Vis- 
ions of the higher life, dwarfed the large things of this : and through 
faith came greater blessings, than the wisest among the good had 
hoped. 

On the morning the city was put under martial law, I found the streets full of 
armed police in army blue, and all, without respect to age, compelled to report at 
the headquarters of their respective districts for enrolment. An unwilling cli'i- 
zen, seeing the bayonet leveled at him, could but yield to the inexorable logic of 
military despotism. It was perilous to walk the streets without a pass. At every 
corner stood a sentinel. 

The colored men were roughly handled by the Irish police. From hotels and 
barber shops, in the midst of their labors, these helpless people were pounced upon 
and often bareheaded and in shirtsleeves, just as seized, driven in squads, at the 
point of the bayonet, and gathered in vacant yards and guarded. What rendered 
this act more than ordinarily atrocious was, that they, through their head men, 
had, at the first alarm, been the earliest to volunteer their services to our mayor, 
for the defense of our common homes. It was a sad sight to see human beings 
treated like reptiles. The undying hate of a low Irishman to an oppressed race 
is but a measure of his own degradation and vileness. 

Enrolled in companies, we were daily drilled. One of these, in our ward, was 
composed of old men, termed " Silver Grays." Among its members were the ven- 
erable Judge Leavitt of the United States Supreme Court, and other eminent citi- 
zens. Grandfathers were seen practicing the manual, and lifting alternate feet to 
the cadence of mark-time. 

At this stage of affairs, the idea that our colored citizens possessed warlike 
qualities was a subject for scoffing; the scoffers forgetting that the race in ances- 
tral Africa including even the women had been in war since the days of Ham; 
strangely oblivious also to the fact that our foreign born city police could only by 
furious onslaughts, made Avith Hibernian love of the thing, quell the frequent pug- 
nacious outbreaks of the crispy-haired denisons of our own Bucktown. From 
this view, or more probably a delicate sentiment of tenderness, instead of being 
armed and sent forth to the dangers of the battle, they were consolidated into a 
peacel'ul brisrade of workers in the trenches back of Newport, under the philan- 
thropic guidance of the Hon. Wm. M. Dickson. 

The daily morning march of the corps down Broadway to labor was a species of 
the mottled picturesque. At their head was the stalwart, manly form of the land- 



IQ TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

lord of the Dumas house. Starting back on the honest, substantial, coal-black 
foundation, all shades of color were exhibited, degenerating out through successive 
gradations to an ashy white; the index of Anglo-saxon fatherhood of the chival- 
rous American type. Arrayed for dirt-work in their oldest clothes ; apparently 
the fags of every conceivable kind of cast-off, kicked about and faded out garments; 
crownless and lop-eared hats, diverse boots; with shouldered pick, shovel and hoe; 
this merry, chattering, piebald, grotesque body, shuffled along amid grins and 
jeers, reminding us of the ancient nursery distich: 

" Hark ! hark I hear the dogs bark, 
The beggars are coming to town, 
Some in rags, some in tags, 
And some in velvet gowns." 

Tuesday night, September 9th, 1862, was starlight; the air soft and balmy* 
With others, 1 was on guard at an improvised armory, — the old American Express 
buildings, on Third-street near Broadway. Three hours past midnight, from a sig- 
nal-tower three blocks east of us, a rocket suddenly shot high in the air; then the 
fire-bell pealed an alarm. All was again quiet. Half an hour passed. Hurrying 
footsteps neared us. They were those of the indefatigable, public-spirited John 
D. C. "Kirby Smith," said he, quickly, " is advancing on the city. The military 
are to muster on the landing and cross the river at sunrise." 

Six o'clock struck as 1 entered my own door. The good woman was up. The 
four little innocents — two of a kind — were asleep; in the bliss of ignorance, happy 
in quiet slumber. A few moments of hurried preparation, and t was ready for 
the campaign. The provisions these: a heavy blanket-shawl; a few good cigars; 
a haversack loaded with eatables, and a black bottle of medicinal liquid — cherry 
bounce, very choice. 

As I stepped out on the pavement, my neighbor did the same. He, too, was oflf 
for the war. At each of our adjoining chamber-windows, stood a solitary female. 
Neither could see the other though not ten feet apart: a wall intervening. Sad- 
ness and merriment were personitied. Tears bedewed and apprehension elongated 
the face of the one. Laughter dimpled and shortened the face of the other. The 
one thought of her protector as going forth to encounter the terrors of battle : vis- 
ions of wounds and death were before her. The other thought of hers with only 
a prospect of a little season of rural refreshment on the Kentucky hills, to return 
in safety with an app«tite ravenous as a wolf 's for freshly-dug pink-eyes, and Beres- 
ford's choice cuts. 

We joined our regiment at the landing. This expanse of acres was crowded 
with armed citizens, in companies and regiments. Two or three of our frail, egg- 
ehell river steamers, converted into gun-boats, were receiving from drays bales of 
hay for bulworks. The pontoon was a moving panorama of newly made warriors, 
and wagons of munitions hastening southward. Back of the plain of Covington 
and Newport, rose the softly-rounded hills: beyond these were our blood thirsty 
foe. Our officers tried to maneuver our regiment. They were too ignorant to ma- 
neuver themselves: it was like handling a rope of sand. Drums beat; fifea 
squeaked, and we crossed the pontoon. The people of Covington filled their 
doorways and windows to gaze at the passing pageant. To my fancy, they looked 
scowlingly. No cheers, no timiles greeted us. It was a staring silence. The rebel 
army had been largely recruited from the town. 

March! march! march! We struck the hills. The way up seemed intermin- 
able. 'J'he broiling September sun poured upon us like a furnace. The road was 
an ash heap. Clouds of limestone dust whitened us like millers, filling our nos- 
trils and throats with impaljiable powder. 'J'iie cry went up, water I water! Lit- 
tle or none was to be had. The unusual excitement and exertion told upon me. 
Years before, I had, bearing my knapsack, performed pedestrian tours of thous- 
ands of miles. Had twice walked across New York; once from the Hudson to 
the lake : in the hotest of summer liad footed it from Itichmond to Lynsh-" 
burg. No forty or fifty miles a day had ever wilted me like this march of only 
four. But my muscles had been relaxed by years of continuous office labor. I 
had been on my feet on guard duty all night. Everything unaccustomed I had 



IN OHIO. IX 

about me felt heavy; my musket, my blanket-shawl, my haversack; all hut my 
black buttle. Kcluctantly I drew on my reserve, making the bottle still lighter. 
The reminiscence to this hour is to me, a bronchial benetit. 

Near tlic top of the hills, some 500 feet above the Ohio level, our regiment 
halted, when our officers galloped ahead. We broke ranks and laid down under 
the wayside fence. Five minutes elapsed. Back cantered the cortege. "Fall 
into line I Fall into line ! Quick, men I " was the ci-y. They rode among us. 
Our colonel exclaimed — "you are now going into battle 1 The enemy are advanc- 
ing! You will receive sixty rounds of cartridges ! Do your duty, men ! do your 
duty ! " I fancied it a ruse to test our courage : and so experienced a .sense of 
shame. 1 looked upon the men around me. Not a word was spoken : not one 
smiled. No visible emotion of any kind appeared, only weary faces, dirty, sweaty 
and blowsy with the burning heat. 

1 dropped my cartridges into my haversack along with my bread and butter. 
Our captain, in his musical, pleasant voice, gave us instructions, though he had 
never studied Vauban. Gentleviail these cartridges are 2)ecii liar ; you put the 
ball in iirst, and the powder on top I " .Some one whispered in his ear. " Genile- 
men," he again exclaimed, with a significant scowl and a shake of the head, "I 
was mistaken: you must put the powder in first and the ball on top." We did 
80. We had elected Billy captain lor he was genial and of a good himily. 

We again shuffled upward. Suddenly as tlie drawing up of a curtain, a fine, 
open, rolling country with undulating ravines burst upon us. Two or three farm 
mansions, with half-concealing foliage and corn-Iields appeared in the distance; 
beyond, a mile away, the fringed line of a forest; above, a cloudless sky and a 
noonday sun. The road we were on penetrated these woods. Jn these were con- 
cealed the unknown thousands of our war-hardened, desperate foe. 

On the summit of the hills we had so laboriously gained, defending the ap- 
proach by the road, ran our line of earthworks. On our right a few rods, was 
Fort iMitchell; to our left, for hundreds of yards, rifle-pits. The fort and pits 
were filled with armed citizens; and a regiment or two of green soldiers in their 
new suits. Vociferous cheers greeted our appearing. "How are you, II.?" 
struck my attention. It was the cheerful voice of a tall, slender gentleman in 
glasses who does my legal business. 

Turning off to the left into the fields in front of these, and away beyond, we 
halted an hour or so in line of battle, the nearest regiment to the enemy. We 
waited in expectation of an attack, too exhausted to fight, or, perhaps, even to run. 
Thence we moved back into an orchard, behind a r.ail fence, on I'ather low ground ; 
our lelt, and the extreme left of all our forces, resting on a farm-house. Uur p»io- 
ncers went to work strengthening our permanent position, cutting down brush and 
small trees, and piling them against the fence. Here, we were in plain view, a 
raile in front, of the ominous forest. When night came on, in caution, our camp- 
fires were extinguished. We slept on hay in the open air, with our loaded mus- 
kets by our sides, and our guards and pickets doubled. 

At 4 o'clock reveille sounded, and we were up in line. I then enjoyed what I 
had not before seen in years — the first coming on of morning in the country. 
Most of the day we were in line of battle, behind the fence. Kegiments to the 
right of us ; and more in the ritle-pits farther on, and beyond, it seemed a mile to 
the right, the artillerists in Fort ilitchell — all those on hills above us, also stood 
waiting lor the enemy. Constant picket-tiring was going on in front. The rebels 
Vwere feeling our lines. Pop! pop! pop! one — two — three, then half a dozen in 
quick succession: followed by a lull with intervals of three or four minutes, 
broken perhaps by a solitary pop. Again continuous pops, like afeit-dejoie, with 
another lull : and so on through the long hours. Some of our men were wounded, 
and others, it was reported, killed. With the naked eye we caught occasional 
glimpses of the skirmishers, in a corn-field near the woods. With a glass a man 
by ray side said he saw the butternut-colored garments of the foe. 

Toward evening a furious thunder storm drove us to our tents of blankets, and 
brushwood bovvers. It wet us through, and destroyed the cartridges in our cotton 
haversacks. Just as the storm was closing, a tremendous fusilade on our right, 
and the cries of our officers, " iAe enemy are upon us; turn out! turn outl'^ 



. 12 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

brouccht us to the fence again. The rebels, we thou.2;ht, had surprised us and 
would be dashing down in a moment with their cavah-y through the orchard in 
our rear. Several of our companies fired off their muskets in that direction, and 
to the manifest danger of a line of our own sentinels. Ours held fast. It was a 
false alarm, and arose in the 110th Ohio, camped on the hill to our right. 

You may ask what my sensations as I thus stood, back to the fence, with up- 
lifted musket in expectant attitude? To be honest — my teeth chattered uncon- 
' trollably. I never boasted of courage. Drenched to the marrow by the cold rain, T 
was shivering before the alarm. 1 reasoned in this way : " Our men are all raw ; 
our officers in the doughy condition. We are armed with the old, condemned 
Austrian rifle. Not one in ten can be discharged. All my reading in history has 
ground the fact into me, that militia, situated like us, are worthless when attacked 
by veterans. An hundred experienced cavalrymen, dashing down with drawn 
sabers, revolvers and secesh yells will scatter us in a twinkling. When the others 
run, — and I know they will, I won't. I'll drop beside this fence, simulate death, 
and open an eye to the culminating circumstances." I was not aching for a tight 
Ambitious youths going in on their muscles, alas ! — are apt to come out on their 
backs. 

Unlike Xorval, I could not say ; 

" I had heard of battles and longed 
To follow to the field some warlike t/iop." 

When at school, I never fought excepting when my pugnacity was aroused on 
seeing large boys tyrannize over small ones. I never slew anything larger than a 
a cat,"which had scratched me; and at this, as soon as done, 1 child like, as child 
I was, repenting, sat down and cried. I am soft-hearted as my uncle Toby with 
the fly — " Go, poor devil! the world is large enough for both you and I." To pit 
my valuable life against one of these low southern whites; half animals, fierce as 
hyenas, degraded as Serbs, appeared a manifest incongruity. It never seemed so 
philn before. It was tackling the beast in the only point where he was strong, 
and in one where I was weak. 

Some things were revealed to me by this soldier-life. The alarming rumora 
current. The restraints upon one's liberty ; imprisoned within the lines of the 
regiment. The sensation of being ordered around by small men in high places; 
and despicable in any. The waste of war; piles of bread, water-soaked by rain 
into worthless pulp. Tlie vacuity of mind from the want of business for continu- 
ous thought. The picturesque attitudes of scores of men sleeping on heaps of 
straw, seen by the uncertain light of night. The importance of an officer's horse 
beyond that of a common soldier, shown by the refusal of hay on which to sleep 
on the night of our arrival, because the colonel's beast wanted it. Didn't our 
good mother earth furnish a bed? 

In our company were three of us, — W. J. R, S. D., and IT. H. — not relatives in 
any way, who, in a New England city, distant nearly a thousand miles, had, over 
thirty years before been school-mates. It illustrated a peculiar phase of Ameri- 
can habits. We had some odd characters. Among us Gentiles, was a 
large shoal of Jews caught at last by the remorseless net of universal con- 
scription. Feeding and fattening in the disturbed currents of the times, all their 
wriggling to escape excited no sympathy. Our fifer, a short, square-built, warm- 
faced man, had been in the r>ritish Army— had seen service in Afghanistan, the 
other side of the globe. Another, a(Jcrman lieutenant, had experience of war in 
our country — was at Shiloh. lie was imaginative. I talked with him in the night. 
To my query of the probability of a night attack, he replied, "yes ! the secesh al- 
ways attack in that way." Fast midnight, as he was going the rounds of the pick- 
ets as officer of the guard, he saw crouching in the shadow of a ravine a large 
body of rebels, lie ran to headquarters and aroused our colonel and staff; but 
when they arrived at the seeing point, lo! the foe had vanished. A fat, gray- 
headed captain with protuberant abdomen, came to me soon after our arrival and 
with an impressive countenance discoursed of the perils of our position. In this, 
I quite agreed with him. Then putting his band to his stomach and giving his 
head a turn to one side, after the usual manner of invalids in detailing their woes, 



IN OHIO. 



13 



he uttered in lugubrious tones — " T am very sick : the march over has been too 
much for me : 1 feel a severe attack of my old complaint, cholera morbus coming 
on." After this, I missed him. He had got a permit from the surgeon and re- 
turned home to be nursed. Our medical man, Dr. 1^, was old Virginia born; and 
I had, notwithstanding his generous qualities, suspected him of secesh sympa- 
thies. I wish to be charitable, but 1 must say this confirmed my suspicion: it was 
evident he wished to get the fighting men out of the way ! 

Saturday noon, the 13th, we began our return march. The militia were no 
longer needed ; for the rebels had fallen back, and thousands of regular soldiers 
had been pouring into the city and spreading over the hills. Our return was an 
ovation. The landing was black with men, women and children. We re-crossed 
the pontoon amid cheers and the boom of cannon. Here, on the safe side of the 
river, the sick captain, now recovered, joined his regiment. With freshly-shaven 
face, spotless collar and bright uniform he appeared, like a bandbox soldier among 
dust-covered warriors. Escaping our perils, he shared our glories as, with drawn 
sword, he strutted through street after street amid cheers of the multitude, smiles 
of admiring women, and waving of 'kerchiefs. Weary and dirt-begrimmed, we 
were, in a tedious, circuitous march, duly shown otf by our officers to all their 
lady acquaintances, until niglit came to our relief, kindly covered us with her 
mantle, and stopped the tom-foolery. The lambs led forth to slaughter, thus re- 
turned safely to their folds, because the butchers hadn't come. 

morgan's raid into OHIO. \y. 

In the year following, 1863, Ohio was invaded by the guerrilla chief, 
John Morgan. He crossed from Kentucky into Indiana with a cavalry 
force of about 4000, and moved nearly parallel with the Ohio river. 
He approached within a few miles of Cincinnati, and caused some lit- 
tle stir there, but thought it n >t jDrudent to visit the city. He was 
closely pursued by the federal I'orces. The following are some of the 
particulars of his march and capture. 

The only battle worthy of the name took jDlace near BuflSngton 
Island, where the raiders made an attempt to cross into Virginia, but 
were prevented by the gun-boats. We j)resent the particulars as pub- 
lished at the time : 

Buffington Island lies in the Ohio river, close to the Ohio shore, about thirty- 
five miles above Pomeroy, and was chosen by the rebels as a place of crossing into 
Virginia, on account of the shoals between it and Blannerhasset's Island, twenty 
miles above. 

Our gun-boats, viz: Moose (flag-boat), Reindeer, Springfield, Naumbeag and 
Victory, in command of Lieutenant-Commander Le Roy Fitch, were patrolling 
the river from an accessible point below Ripley to Portsmouth ; but as soon as it 
was definitely ascertained that Morgan wAs pushing eastward, the Moose, towed 
by the Imperial, started up stream, followed at proper distances by the other boats. 
The Moose made the foot of Buffington Island on Saturday night, and remained 
until next morning, without changing position, on account of a dense fog. 

The rebel force made the shore opposite, and above the island, as before stated, 
at two o'clock, and took position, under cover of artillery, in an extensive corn 
and wheat field, skirted by hills and woods on its north and east sides. The po- 
sion was a good one, and might have been held to advantage for a much longer 
time than it was, but for the co-operation of the gun-boat Moose, the only one of 
the fleet which arrived in time to participate. 

The Fight. — The rebels had their artillery placed on the highest elevation on 
the east and completely commanded the Pomeroy road, over which Gen. Judah's 
force came filing along, unaware of the close proximity of the enemy. It should 
be noted here, that the old stage road to Pomeroy, over which Morgan came, and 
the lower road traveled by Judah met in an acute angle three quarters of a mile 



14 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

from the battle-field. Our column came along the lower road within range at six 
o'clock, having marched all night, having started from Pomeroy, and was not aa 
fresh by five or six hours' rest as the enemy. 

The rebels met us in solid column, and moved in battalions, and at the first fire 
repulsed our advance, which was too far ahead to be assisted by our artillery. 
This was the best opportunity they had to make a successful fight, but we fell 
back to bring forward our artillery, and the enemy did not seem to care to follow 
up the advantage. During this encounter, Capt. Jno. J. Grafton, of Gen. Judah's 
staff, became separated from the advance and narrowly escaped capture, by shoot- 
ing the I'ebel cavalryman who seized him. He was dismounted, and being left on 
the ground, made his way with considerable difficulty to the river, where he hailed 
the Moose and got aboard. Meantime the tight progressed, but in a desultory man- 
ner, until our artillery get into position, and our lines were drawn closely around 
the enemy. A furious onset was made on our side, and the enemy was driven 
over the field eastward, and sought the shelter of the woods beyond. 

Co-operation of the Gun-boat. — No more fortunate circumstance could have 
transpired for the union force than the escape of Captain Grafton to the gun-boat 
Moose, for he pointed out to Lieutenant-Commander Fitch the exact position of 
the rebels, and enabled that officer to so direct his guns as to throw shell in their 
very midst. The Moose is armed with twenty-four pounder Dahlgren guns — the 
most accurate and effective gun in the service for operation against exposed bodiea 
of men — and on this occasion the weapon did not belie its character. A dense 
fog, however, prevailed, which prevented Lieut. Fitch doing as great execution in 
the rebel works as he desired; but his shots from the larboard and forward guns 
told, and an extensive scattering took place. The Moose opened at seven o'clock, 
and as the rebels were driven she kept steadily moving up stream, throwing shell 
and shrapnel over the heads of our lads into the ranks of the enemy. 

It now became evident that the rebels were being pressed in all directions, and 
that hard fighting would not save them from destruction. 

A simultaneous rush was then made for the river, and throwing away arms and 
even clothing, a large body ran down to the shore, some with horses and some 
without, and plunged into the stream. The point chosen to efi'ect the crossing 
was one mile and a half above the head of Buffington Island, and the movement 
would undoubtedly have been attended with considerable success but for the 
presence and performance of the gun-boat. The crossing was covered by a 
twenty-pounder Parrott and a twelve-pound howitzer dragged into position by the 
rebels in their hasty retreat, but before the guns could be loaded and sighted the 
bow guns of the Moose opened on the rebel guns and drove the gunners away, 
after which the pieces were captured. Some twenty or thirty men only succeeded 
in crossing into Virginia at this point. Several were killed in the water, and 
many returned to the shore. While this was transpiring on the river, the roar of 
battle was still raging on the shore and back into the country. Basil Duke, under 
whose generalship the fight was conducted, was evidently getting the worst of it, 
and his wearied gang of horse-thieves, cut-throats and nondescripts began to be- 
think them only of escape. Many threw down their arms, were taken prisoners 
and sent to the rear. Others sought the shelter of trees, or ran wildly from one 
point to another, and thus exposed themselves far more to the dea Uy chances of 
the field than if they had displayed courage and stood up to the fight. 

The scene of the battle was one of the most composite, perhaps, in the pano- 
rama of the war. The rebels were dressed in every possible manner peculiar to 
civilized man, but generally speaking their attire was very good. They wore in 
many instances large slouch hats peculiar to the slave states, and had their panta- 
loons stuck in tlirir boots. A dirty, gray-colored coat was tbe most prevaleht, al- 
thou'j;!i white "dusters" were to be seen. 

They were armed with carbines, Enfield rifles, sabers and revolvers, were well- 
mounted and looked in good liealth, although jaded and tired. The battle-field 
and the roads surrounding it, were strewn with a thousand articles never seen, 
perhaps, on a battle-field before. One is accustomed to see broken swords, mus 
kets and bayonets, haversacks, cartridge-boxes, belts, pistols, gun-carriages, cais- 



IN OHIO. 15 

eons, cannon, vrngons upset, wounded, dead and dying on a battle-field, but beside 
all these on the battlefield of Bufiington Island, one could pick up almost any ar- 
ticle in the dry goods, hardware, house-furnishing, or ladies' or gentlemen's fur- 
nishing line. Hats, boots, gloves, knives, forks, spoons, calico, ribbons, drinking- 
cups, buggies, carriages, market-wagons, circus-wagons, and an almost endless va- 
riety of articles useful, and more or less valuable. An inventory of Morgan's 
plunder would tax the patience of an auctioneer's clerk, and 1 question if one 
man's life would be long enough to minutely catalogue the articles picked up dur- 
ing his raid. 

The carnage of the field was not remarkable, although little groups of rebels 
were found, slain by the deadly fragments of shell. 

Nearly 1,700 prisoners are now in our hands, under guard of the 8th Michigan 
cavalry, and others are constantly arriving by our scouts and pursuing parties. 

Prisoners admit a loss of 200 killed and wounded on the field, while our loss 
will not exceed a fourth of that number. The saddest incident of the fight is the 
mortally wounding of Major McCook, father of the lamented Brigadier-General 
McCook, murdered in the summer of 1862, by guerrillas, in Kentucky. 

Anotloer writer gives some characteristic incidents of this raid, 
■which he derived from Major Eaney, the chief of the party of scouts. 
Eaney was the Avell-known Cincinnati detective, and, therefore, in the 
direct line of his profession, though on a somewhat expanded field. 

At Miamitown, Raney's scouts first came in direct contact with Morgan's men, 
forming a portion of his advance guard then heading for Cincinnati. Raney had 
but 23 men, but these were well armed and posted behind trees and fences, so as 
to command the road for some distance, without being exposed themselves. As 
soon as the extreme advance came in sight, 23 rifle balls whistled around its head, 
and stretched 2 men dead, and wounded 3. These were abandoned; but the return 
volley killed one of Ranej-'s most valuable men, a member of Collins' battalion, 11th 
Ohio, recruited for Indian service. While the skirmish was going on, a portion 
of the rebel force was engaged in pillaging the neighborhood, where they got sev- 
eral hundred dollars in small sums, and a quantity of jewelry and silver spoons. 
It was not the object nor the business of Raney to fight the rebels, although his 
ambush certainly turned them from Cincinnati, and as soon as the advance 
headed ofi" which it did wlien fired upon, the scouts mounted and rode forward to 
pick up stragL'lers. Three prisoners were taken, among them Lieutenant Kirby 
of the 10th Kentucky, (rebel.) This chivalrous (?) officer, when taken, swag- 
gered in true Kentucky blackguard style and riding up to Major Raney, demanded 
to be treated as a prisoner of war, for he was an officer and a gentleman, and from 
Kentucky, and was, therefore, entitled to respect, etc., etc. Raney replied that he 
always treated a n)an as a gentleman until he found him to be otherwise, and al- 
ways treated a man as iionest until he found him to be a thief; and by way of 
illustrating his principle, he thrust his hand into Kirby's shirtbosom, and drew 
out half a dozen pairs of ladies' kid gloves, some ribbon, ladies' silk hose, and 
some other articles of finery stolen from a store or the wardrobe of a lady of 
means. 

The next object of interest encountered by the scouts was an old, feeble man, 
evidently a discharged soldier, leaning on the arm of a sturdy, sunburned country- 
man, who, to all appearances, had humanely oifered assistance to the returned 
veteran. This sham'would have succeeded had not the sunburned countryman 
looked a trifle too sharp out of the corners of his eyes as he passed. Raney 
thought he spied the twinkle of a rogue's eye, and he ordered the fellow to be 
taken in custody, when, upon examination, he proved to be Ike Snow, one of Mor- 
gan's most valuable and efficient scouts. 

At Harrison, the rebels were about to set fire to three mills and a distillery, but 
upon entreaty decided to spare them upon the payment of $1,000 for each build- 
ing, which was immediately handed over and pocketed by the ubiquitous John. 

At Sharon, the main body, with which Morgan was riding, stopped and hon- 
ored a butternut tavern-keeper by 'dt :uia? of Myers with a visit. Morgan or- 



16 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

dered dinner for himself and staff, but Myers demurred, on the eround that he 
could not make a fire and cook food for so many in a short time. Morgan i-eplied 
that he could soon make a fire, and he would see that the cooks were expe- 
ditious. At this suggestive intimation the host set about dinner with a will, and 
by way of showing his devotion to his guests, descended to the cellar and brought 
forth a bottle of old Otard, and pouring out a liberal " smile," asked Morgan to 
" take a little trink of pranty py way of pitters pefore tinner." Morgan, not ac- 
customed to be gotten ahead of, said, "Yes, sir, but after you." Myers swallowed 
half the liquoi', when Morgan also "smiled." Myers continued to make himself 
agreeable to his guests, and furnished them with all the information they required, 
together Mnth a fine horse, and upon their departure received two hundred dol- 
lars in "greenbacks," as a cataplasm for his wounded honor and patriotism, for, 
be it known, that no one so heartily abused Morgan — after he was gone — as 
Myers. 

The most wanton murder, perhaps, perpetrated by Morgan, was that of McDou 
gal, at Piketon. He with two or three others, were taken prisoners, and as he 
was the best informed of the party, Morgan ordered him to act as scout, or pilot, 
for a body of the rebels. McDougal refused and expostulated with the ruffians, 
but they refused to parley, and pushed him toward a fence where they almost 
riddled his body with bullets. 

The arrival at Cincinnati of the prisoners taken in the BufRngton 
fight is thus given in one of the papers of the day. 

At 11 A. M., July 2.3d, the rebel oflicers, including Dick Morgan and Basil Duke, 
•were brought from the steamer Starlight to the foot of Main-street, on one of the 
ferry-boats. Morgan being wounded, and Duke lame, temporarily, we believe, 
they were provided with a carriage, while the balance of the officers formed in 
their rear in two ranks, when the column, strongly guarded, moved through the 
city to the city prison, on Ninth-street. The boats containing the privates then 
proceeded down the river to the foot of Fifth-street, where the prisoners were 
marched to a special train on the Indianapolis and Cincinnati railroad, and sent to 
Indianapolis. 

As soon as it was known the boats containing the prisoners had arrived, the le- 
vee was thronged with men, women and children, anxious to see the noted horse- 
thieves. Many sympathizers were present, and in several cases undertook to fur- 
nish their friends with money, refreshments, etc. This pi'oceeding, however, was 
soon stopped by their arrest. A number of the prisoners being from Covington, 
their female relations and friends came over in carriages to see them. They were 
not permitted to communicate M'ith the prisoners, however. 

A pass from General Burnside admitted us to the temporary enjoyment of the 
eociety of the rebel officers. Although the prison itself is not a very stronghold, 
we found the guard sufficient to insure the safety of the captives, for a few days 
at least. The walls were whitewashed, and they seemed to have been cleaned foi; 
the occasion. From the accounts we have read of Libby prison, we should judge 
the city prison, in which we entertain rebel officers, heavenly, compared to it. 
Kone of them have been hoard to complain about it; but some of them were pre- 
sumptuous enough to think we ought to furnish them with a keg of lager beer 
once a day, and other refreshments in addition. 

The following is a list of the officers: 

Coh„els.—B. W. Duke, W. \y. Ward, D. N. SmUh, B. 0. Morgan; Lieut.- Col. J. W. 
Hoffman. 

M<iJor«.—\Y. P. Elliott, R. S. Bullock. 

Cr,pta{))s.—V. Thorpe, G. M. Coleman, T. E. Ea!?tin, T. H. Hines, W. B. Cunningham, 
Miles GrifTin, IT. C. Ellis, J. B. Barker, C. G. Campbell, E. W. Terrell, Jno. Hunter, S, C. 
Mullens, E. T. Rochester, A. J. Bruner, J. L. N. Pickens, J. W. Mitchell, B. A. Tracey. 

Sur/^eoiis. Twigg, M. W. Standford, T. B. Lewis, D. Carter, A. M. Conn, D. C. 

Bedford. A. 0. Raines, Rev. T. D. Moore. 

Lirutenants. Lit'/.y, .1. W. McMichael, .J. II. Green, Ph. Price, A. A. Q. M.. W. P. 

Fogg, J. T. Sinolnir, .T. B. Talbott, J. P. Webb.R. W. Fenwick, Robert Cunningham, K. 
F. Peddicore, M. M. Thomason, Tom. Moulard, F. Leathers, D. Care, T. B. Bridges, H. 



IN OHIO. 17 

T. Rucks, J. L. Williamson, T. B. Haines, Newton, Wellington, Thos. Palls, J. 

1). Morris, W. B. Ford, Jno. Parks, B. L. Drake, J. A. Middleton, A. B. Chinn, J. Old- 
ham, J. W. Gordon, C. M. Taylor, J. A. Fox, D. Tribble, W. S. Hickman, J. S. Hughes. 
Alfred Surber, T. S. Kemper, R. A. Webster, Munday. 

We found Colonel Duke's name headed the list, but from his appearance wo 
should not have taken him to be the head and front of the gang — a position that 
is now generally conceded to him more than to Morgan. He is a small man, not 
over thirty years old, we judge; weight about 130 pounds, spare of flesh, features 
angular, hair and eyes nearly, if not quite, black, the latter sp.arkling and pene- 
trating, and the former standing out from the head something like porcupine quills. 
Altogether, he called to mind our picture of a .Spanish bandit on a small scale; 
nevertheless, he has a pleasant voice, and a gracious smile in his conversation, 
which is free and cordial. But there is nothing commanding in his appearance, 
his manners, or his words, and it is not strange that jMorgan is the acknowledged 
leader of the horde, even though Duke may be the most quick-witted. 

Dick Morgan is about 32 years old, heavy set, inclined to be fleshy, round, 
plump face, bluish eyes, phlegmatic temperament, and not talkative. He yields 
to Duke the privilege of carrying on a conversation. 

Not one of the seventy officers before us had any indication of his rank in or 
on his dress. They were all, more or less, in citizen's dress; some of them hav- 
ing blue, and some of them gray pantaloons; some of them had military blouses, 
but the most of them had on citizens vests and coats. What there was of mili- 
tary dress among them, was more of the federal style than the confederate. We 
asked why they dressed in this style — whether it was for convenience in passing 
themselves off as citizens, when they found it more convenient to be civilians thaa 
soldiers? They replied, that they kept flying round so, that they never saw the 
quartermaster's supplies, and that they found it handier just to take what they 
could find — whether it was from citizens or from union soldiers. 

They stated that most of Morgan's forces were Kentuckians, but that Colonel 
Ward's men were Tennesseans, and Colonel Hoffman's were Texans. And we 
learn that the privates, on the boats, improved the opportunity of inquiring of the 
few visitors who reached them, all about their friends on the other side of the 
river. One Covingtonian got among them, to look for his son, but not finding 
him, distributed seventy-five dollars he had brought with him, among the rebel 
boys, who had been stealing money and horses on this side the river. 

Jolm Morgan with the remainder of his followers succeeded in elud- 
ing his pursuers for nearly an hundred miles more of flight. They 
were captured several days after the Buffington fight, in Columbiana 
county, near the Pennsylvania border. These were the closing scenes 
of the groat chase through Indiana and Ohio. 

General Brooks, commanding the department, had gone to Wellsville and estab- 
lished his headquarters in the Cleveland and Pittsburg depot, where he was as- 
sisted by the managing officers of the road ; who had placed the tran-^portation 
and telegraphic resources of the road at iiis disposal. Finding that there was a pro- 
bability that Morgan would ci'oss the road in the vicinity of Salineville, a train 
of cars was sent up the road about six o clock, Sunday morning, July 23d, with a 
regiment of six months' Pennsylvania infantry, under command of Colonel Gal- 
lagher. These were embarked at Salineville, and marched to a point about two 
miles distant, where the rebels were expected to cross. The infantry were posted 
on some rising ground commanding the road, with orders to prevent Morgan's 
passage. 

At this time, the utmost alarm existed among the people of Salineville. The 
houses were closed, doors and windows locked and barred, and women and children 
stampeded into the country, with whatever portable property could be carried 
along. The man who had weapons and courage turned out to resist the progress 
of the dreaded rebel, while all the otliers fled with the women and children. 

In a short time the expected rebels made their appearance, coming around a 
bend in the road. On coming in sight of the infantry they halted, and turned 



18 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



their horses' heads in another direction. Before they could get out of the trap 
they found themselves in, Major Way, with 250 men of the 9th Michigan cavalry, 
dashed among them and commenced cutting right and left. The rebels made but 
a brief resistance. A few shots were fired by them, and then the whole party 
broke in utter confusion. The scene that followed was ludicrous, and could only 
be matched by the previous stampede at Buffington Island. Men dismounted, 
threw down their arms and begged for quarter, while others galloped wildly in 
search of a place of escape, and were "brought to time" by a pistol-shot or a 
saber stroke. 

Morgan himself was riding m a carriage drawn by two white horses. Major 
Way saw him, and, galloping up, reached for him. Morgan jumped out at the 
other side of the carriage, leaped over a fence, seized a horse, and galloped off as 
fast as horseflesh, spurred by frightened heels, could carry him. About a couple 
of hundred of his men succeeded in breaking away and followed their fugitive 
leader. In the buggy thus hastily " evacuated " by Morgan, were found his "ra- 
tions," consisting of a loaf of bread, some hard boiled eggs, and a bottle of 
■whisky. 

The number of killed in this fight was much less than at first reported, as we 
can not learn of more than five or six dead bodies having been found. There was 
a considerable number of wounded, and about 200 prisoners taken, together with 
horses and arms. A special train was sent to Wellsville in the afternoon with 
about 250 prisoners, captured in the fight or picked up in the neighborhood after- 
ward. 

A few of our cavalry were wounded, two or three seriously. Lieutenant Fiske 
was shot through the breast. His wound is dangerous, and he has telegraphed 
for his wife to come from Michigan. 

Morgan and the remainder of his scattered forces pressed three citizens of Sa- 
lineville into their service as guides, and continued their flight on the New Lisbon 
road. One of the impressed guides made his escape and rode back, conveying 
intelligence of the route taken, which, it was believed, was Avith the ultimate de- 
sign of reaphing the Ohio river higher up. Forces were immediately dispatched 
from Wellsville to head hiui off, while another force followed hotly in his rear, 
and a strong militia force from New Lisbon came down to meet him. 

About two o'clock in the afternoon, these various detachments closed in around 
Morgan, in the vicinity of West Point, about midway between New Lisbon and 
Wellsville. . The rebels were driven to a bluff, from which there was no escape, 
except by fighting their way through, or leaping from a lofty and almost perpen- 
dicular precipice. Finding themselves thus cooped, Morgan concluded that " dis- 
cretion was the better part of valor." lie, with the remainder of the gang, sur- 
rendered to Colonel Shackleford, who was well-acquainted with the redoubtable 
*' John," and is said to be a distant relative. 

The prisoners were brought back to Wellsville, where their arrival caused great 
excitement. Morgan retained his side arms, and moved about freely, although al- 
ways accompanied by Colonel Shackleford. Last night (Sunday) Morgan and his 
staff slept at the Whittaker house, in Wellsville, and at three o'clock this morn- 
ing, they, accompanied by Colonel Shackleford and his staff, left on the regular 
train for Columbus. Later in the morning, a special train was to be sent to Co- 
lumbus with the i-emaiuder of the prisoners and their guards. 

The militia are constantly bringing in to the line of road stray prisoners, 
picked up in the country. The hills are swarming with armed men, hunting for 
fugitive rebels. Nine of iMorgan's party were brought to ]>ayard Station this 
morning, who were captured in the neighborhood by the provost marshal's force. 
They were taken to Alliance, to be sent from that place to Columbus. 

Morgan's men were poorly dressed, ragged, dirty, and very badly used up. yome 
of them wore remnants of gray uniforms, but most of them were attired in spoils 
gathered during their raid. They were much discouraged at the result of their 
raid, and the prospect of affairs geqerally. 

Morgan himself appeared in good spirits, and quite unconcerned at his ill luck. 
He is a well-built man, of fresh complexion and sandy hair and beard. He, last 
night, enjoyed for the first time iu a long while, the comforts of a sound sleep in 



IN OHIO. 19 

a good bed, which was some compensation for his otherwise bad hick. lyiorgan 
was attired in a linen coat, black pants, white shirt and lii^ht felt hat. No deco- 
rations were visible. He has rather a mild face, there being certainly nothing in 
it to indicate the possession of unusual intellectual qualities. 

Colonel Cluke is ver^y tali, rising probably two inches over six feet. He was 
attired much after the manner of his chief He is slender, has sandy hair, and 
looks like a man of invincible determination. His countenance is not devoid of 
certain savage lines, which correspond well with his barbarities as a leader. 

On their arrival at Cincinnati a few days later, a large crowd was assembled at 
the depot, and as the prisoners moved, immense numbers were constantly added 
to it. When they marched down Ninth-street not less than 5,000 persons sur- 
rounded the fiimous guerrilla and his aids. Many of these lookers-on seemed ex- 
cited, and cried, " Hang the cut-throats," " bully for the horse-thieves." Several 
of the spectators were flourishing pistols, but the guard quickl}- drove them away_ 

The capture of Morgan occasioned great rejoicing; and Prentice, of 
the Louisville Journal, suggested that a salute of one gun he fired be- 
fore every stable door in the land. 

Morgan and a number of his officers were confined in the state 
prison, at Columbus, from which the great raider, with several com- 
panions made his escape, on the night of the 27th of November. The 
following particulars of the flight were detailed in a Eichmond paper. 

It had been previously determined that, on reaching the outer walls, the parties 
should separate, Morgan and Hines together, and the others to shape their course 
for themselves. Thus they parted. Hines and the general proceeded at once to 
the depot to purchase thoir tickets for Cincinnati. But, lo ! Avhere was the money ? 
The inventive Hines had only to touch the magical wand of his ingenuity to be 
supplied. While in prison he had taken the precaution, after planning his escape, 
to write to a lady friend in a peculiar cypher, which, when handed to the author- 
ities to read through openly, contained nothing contraband, but which, on the 
young lady receiving, she, according to instructions, sent him some books, in the 
back of one of which she concealed some "greenbacks," and across the inside 
wrote her name to indicate the place where the money was deposited! The books 
came safe to hand, and Hines was flush ! (Joing boldly up to the ticket office, 
while Morgan modestly stood back and adjusted a pair of green goggles over his 
eyes, which one of the men, having weak eyes, had worn in the prison. 

They took their seats in the cars without suspicion. How their hearts beat 
until the locomotive whistled to start! Slowly the wheels turn, and they are off! 
The cars were due in Cincinnati at 7 o'clock, a. m. At Xenia, they were detained , 
one hour. What keen anguish of suspense did they not suffer ? They knew at 
5 o'clock, A. M., the convicts would be called, and that their escape would then be 
discovered, when it would be telegraphed in every direction ; consequently, the 
guards would be ready to greet them on their arrival. They were rapidly near- 
ing the city of abolition hogdora. It was a cool, rainy morning. Just as the train 
entered the suburbs, about half a mile from the depot, the two escaped prisoners 
went out on the platform and put on the brakes, checking the cars sufficiently to 
let them jump off. Hines jumped off first, and fell, considerably stunned. Mor- 
gan followed, unhurt. They immediately made for the river. Here they found 
a boy with a skiff, who had just ferried across some ladies from the Kentucky side. 
They dared not turn their heads for fear of seeing the guards coming. ''Hines,'' 
whispered the general, "look and see if any body is coming! " The boy was told 
they wanted to cross, but he desired to Avait for more passengers. The general 
told him he was in a hurry, and promised to pay double fare. The skiff shot out 
into the stream — they soon reached the Kentucky shore, and breathed — free ! 

THE VALLANDIGHAM CAMPAIGN. 

From the outbreak of the rebellion the opposition of the Hon. Clem- 
ent L. YallaBdigham, M. C. from- the .Dayton district, to the govern- 
2 



20 TIxVIES OF THE REBELLION 

ment was so marked as to be generally considered as amounting to ac- 
tual sjnnpathy with the south. 

On the 19th of April, 18C3, Gen. Burnside, commanding department 
of the Ohio, issued his famous order JSTo. 38, in which he said, " The 
habit of declaring sympathies for the enemy will no longer be toler- 
ated in this department. Persons committing such offenses will be at 
once arrested with a view to being tried as above stated, or sent be- 
yond our lines, into the lines of their friends." 

Mr. Yallandigham, in a speech at Mount Vernon, Knox county, on 
the 1st of May, commented with great bitterness on the above order, 
which resulted in his arrest at his residence in Dayton on the morn- 
ing of the 5th of the same month. He was taken to Cincinnati, tried 
by a military'- commission, found guilt}^, and sentenced to imprison- 
ment in Fort Warren during the war. This sentence was changed by 
the president, into banishment beyond the federal lines, which was 
carried into effect. 

Much sympathy was exjoressed for Yallandigham by his friends and 
the opposition press; but, on the other hand, there was a general ap- 
proval of the course pursued by the chief magistrate of the nation. 
Prominent among the former was Governor Seymour, of New York, 
and the Freeman's Journal said, "Ohio has her exiled hero, Yallandig- 
ham." 

The sudden rise of the oj^position party to the war following the 
•unfortunate issue of McClellan's camjjaigu in Yirginia, and Buell's in 
Kentucky, in the latter part of 18G2, together with the issuing of Pres- 
'ident Lincoln's proclamation, in January, 1863, had emboldened Mr. ^ 
Yallandigham to ui'ge his peculiar views. This had greatly excited 
the soldiers in the field, and in their numerous addresses and letters 
they appealed to the people at home to stand by the union. General 
Posecrans, whose signal victory at Stone River, and whose generosity 
of spirit and fatherly care of his men had endeared him to the people 
of Ohio, wrote an eloquent, patriotic letter to the legislature, and his 
Ohio soldiers an address to their friends at homo: the latter we have 
preserved as a part of the history of the times. 

The Battle-Field of Stone Riveu Tol). 1, 1863. 

To the People of Ohio : The Ohio soldiers of the western army, your friends, 
brothers and sons, address you from this fieki of renown, in urgent entreaty, upon 
matters of such grave import to them and to the country, as to demand your calm 
and patient audience. Exiles from home for long weary months, away from the 
petty strife of local politics and the influence of selfish demagogues and party 
leaders, with the pure and steadfast faith in the holy cause of defending our gov- 
ernment which brought us intp the field, and has sustained us in perils, iiardships, J 
toils and exposures, which have scarcely a parallel in history, we feel none of the I 
acrimonious bitterness that now enters into the ignoble contentions of home poll- | 
tics, and calmly view th.e conditions of the country from the only true standpoint, | 
the soldier's and patriot's devotion to the great republic — once blessed of all na- 
tions. 

We ask, what means this wild, shameless party strife at home ? why any oppo- 
■sition to this war of self-preservation? why any but political demagogues should 
wish a severance of the republic? wherefore a foolish cry for a cessation of hos- 
tilities on our part, to give time to the traitor-rebels to sti'engthen their defenses 
and discipline tlieir armies ? why should the brave, true men of the great army oi' 
tHe. United States, war-broken, toil-vvurn and battle-stained, be left without sym- 



IN OHIO. 21 

pathy from you, men of Ohio, now enjoying the blessings of peace, careless of 
dangers of invasion, war's dread terrors, only because we, your brothers and 
sons, stand " between your loved homes and war's desohition ?" 

Are we not in war ? Is not tlie whole force of the government employed in de- 
fending the nation against a gigantic elfort to destroy it? Has not blood flowed 
like water, and treasure expended enough to make rich a nation ? Is it not worth 
preserving ? Can two or more states be carved out peacefully from the present 
loved republic ? Can we give away its rivers, lands and loyal people to its destroy- 
ers ? Can we afford to divide the republic into contending petty states, and be 
forever the victims of internecine wars between small principalities? Can we 
quietly, calmly, even complacently, sit by and see the grand republic of the world 
thus cut off and destroyed b}^ innate weakness ? No honest citizen of Ohio is 
willing that such should be our fate. 

What matters now the cause of the war? By whose fault, or by the adoption 
of what mistaken policy ? It exists ! It must be fought out, or ended by giving 
up all that it is waged fur. For the sake of peace; for fear of the shedding of 
blood ; would any basely give up his nation and become the citizen of a ruined 
and dishonored land ? 

Then wherefore this opposition to the war ? Because a particular party is in 
power? Because its policy is obnoxious? Because it has committed errors? 
Because it has thrown to its surface and given prominence to bad or incompetent 
men, or adopted political theories and sought to make them practical, which are 
condemned by many good men? No ! the remedy for all these evils, if they exist 
at all, may be sought in the quiet but powerful means of the ballot, which has 
power in our government to change dynasties, where the armies of the world 
would fail. 

Is it thought that peace and a voluntary restoration of the union may be effected 
by compromise ? All that has been tried. Disdainfully, the rebels flung back in our 
faces every proffered olive-branch, before peaceful men became armed soldiers 
and the booming of Fort Sumter's cannon, with its terrible alarm, called a nation 
to arms. And now, insolent and detiant, they laugh to scorn all thoughts of peace 
on an}' other terms than recognition of their false nationality. They are stronger 
now than then. The despots and money-changers of Europe have given them 
substantial aid to destroy a republic ; they have more powerful armies, abler gen- 
erals and a firmer determination than when the rebellion began. They know 
their strength and appeal to it — not to the poor demagogues of the north, who are 
their allies. They condemn and despise them. Read their j^i'oclaraations, ad- 
dresses, army orders and newspapers. At no time have they ever spoken of north- 
ern friends, except as allies in the war! They deride the foolish ajipeals of their 
northern allies for peace and compromise, and preclude all hope of the restoration 
of the union on any terms. 

What incalculable mischief is being done by these northern allies — their 
speeches and newspapers are quoted, and results of elections reported in southern 
papers, as evidence, not of any hope of restoring the union, but to show that the 
loval people of the north are becoming willing to submit to any dishonorable and 
humiliating terms of peace, based even on a full recognition that this fiendish re- 
bellion was right, and that it was well to destroy this government. 

People of Ohio ! But one alternative is left you. Yvu must pronounce this a 
just rebellion ; you must say that it was right and justifiable to destroy this re- 
public ; that a republic is a weak, helpless government, powerleas to sustain itself, 
and to be destroyed ichenever conspirators enough can be allied for the purpose, or 
you must show to the tcorld the power of self-preservation in the great example of 
confederated republics. That it has a q.uiet, dormant force, which, aroused, has 
gigantic strength and energy. That it not only can protect its citizens in all their 
rights and privileges, but can sustain itself as well against foreign attack as inter- 
nal treason. 

We are fighting for the republic — to it we have given our hearts, our arms, our 
lives. We intend to stand between you and the desolating hosts of the rebels, 
">^-hose most cherished hope and desire has been, and is, to take possession and 



22 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

ravage your own beautiful Ohio. Once already we have stood as a living wall be- 
tween you and this fate, and we may have to do it again. 

Men of Ohio! You know not what this western army has suffered. You know 
not now the hardships and sufferings of your soldiers in their chill tents, their 
shelterless bivouacs, their long, weary marches, and their battle-thinned ranks, 
if there be honesty and purity in human motives, it must be found among your 
long-enduring soldiers. Hear us, and for your country's sake, if not for ours, 
stop your wild, shameless political strifes, unite for the common cause, and never 
think or speak of peace and compromise until the now empty terms mean — the 
republic as it was, peaceably if it may be, but forcibly at all events. It is said 
Avar and force can not restore the union ! What can ? 

Is there anything else that has been left untried, short of national dishonor 
and shame? Nothing. Purely physical power has been invoked to destroy the 
government, and physical force must meet it. Conquer the rebellious armies, 
shut in by blockades and victorious armies the deluded people of the rebellious 
states, and let no peace, no happiness, no prosperity dwell in their land or homes, 
until they rise against their tyrants, until popular opinion with them overthrows 
their false government, and dooms their despotic leaders. Whip them and confine 
them, until " Actseon is devoured by his own dogs." 

This is all that can be done, and it must be done with the determined energy 
of a united people. Thus feel and think the soldiers of the grand army of the 
United States. Are you with us, or will you now desert us, sell your national 
birthright for a mess of pottage, and for success in local politics, barter away 
your country, crawl at the feet and lick the hands of the perfidious, cruel and 
devilish conspirators, who have organized this rebellion, and who boast of their 
success in destroying your government, slaying your sons and wasting your trea- 
sure, contemned, derided aVid despised by them, while you are humbly craving 
their favor? Not waiting or even hoping for returning loyalty in them, or for 
terms of peace to be tendered by them ? Can you thus dishonor yourselves, your 
soldiers or your state ? 

We ask you now to stay, support and uphold the hands of your soldiers. 

Give some of the wasted sympathy, so illy but freely bestowed upon the old poli- 
tical hacks and demagogues, who seek a blessed martyrdom in Lincoln bastiles, 
to the suffering but bravely-enduring soldiers who, in the camp, the field and the 
hospital, bear real hardships uncomplainingly. If treason must run riot in the 
north, keep it there — insult not your soldiers by sending to them the vile emana- 
tions of the traitors who are riding into office, place and power, over the ruins of 
the government, and making them their stepping stones. Insult us not by letters, 
speeches and papers, which tell us we are engaged as hirelings in an unholy, abo- 
lition war, which make mob idols of the hour of those whose hypocritical dema- 
goguery takes shape in cowardly, covert treason — whose constant vocation is 
denunciation of their government and its armed defenders. 

The army of the west is in terrible earnest — earnest to conquer and destroy 
armed rebels — earnest to meet force with force — earnest in its hearty detestation 
of cowardly traitors at home — earnest in will and power to overcome all who de- 
sire the nation's rnin. 

Ohio's 100,000 soldiers in the field, citizens at home, potent in either capacity, 
ask their fathers, brethren and friends, by their firesides and in their peaceful 
homes, to hear and heed this appeal, and to put an end to covert treason at home, 
more dangerous now to our national existence than the presence of the armed 
hosts of misguided rebels in the field. 

On the hearing and adoption of this address by the 1st brigade, 3d division, I4th 
army corps, Colonel Walker also reported the following resolution, which was 
unanimously adopted: 

" Tlierefi/re, Resolved, For ourselves, we are resolved to maintain the honor 
and integrity of our government; from the ISt Lawrence to the gulf, and between 
the oceans, there shall be but one supreme political power. We are able to de- 
fend our birthright; the blood of our sires is not contaminated in our veins; we 
are neither to be insulted nor robbed with impunity; the government we defend 
was formed for noble purposes; we are the executors of a living, a dying testa- 



IN OHIO. 23 

menfc written in the blood of our fathers, which we will re-Avrite in our own; to 
preserve our government, is, to us, <a law unalterable in our hearts as the decrees 
of Heaven ; we stop not now to point the finger of scorn at petty traitors who 
vainly seek to immortalize themselves by acts of treason — too cowardly to sin 
with an uplifted hand, too dastardly to stake life for life, as more honorable trai- 
tors do — let them bear in mind that there is a time coming, when the honest in- 
dignation of a loyal people will hurl them headlong into an abyss as bottomless 
as the pit.'* 

The banishment of Mr. Yallandighani a few months subsequent to 
this fermentation among the people, but served to increase it. And 
so much sympathy was aroused for him that the opposition were con- 
strained to nominate him for governor, at the fall election. Mr. Val- 
landigham, who had been permitted to leave the southern lines by the 
rebel leaders, made his Avay to Canada; and there on the border 
watched the canvass. In the result, John C. Brough, the union can- 
didate, was elected by the largest majority of any previous candidate 
for the gubernatorial chair. His total majority was 101,099. Of this, 
the home majoritj^ v/as 61,920 and the soldiers' majority 39,179. Out 
of 43,755 soldiers' votes only 2,288 were given for Vallandigham : but 
of the citizens who remained at home, secure from war's alarms, over 
180,000 signified their preference for him; many sincerely regarded 
him as the subject of oppression. In thousands of cases, the sons in 
the army voted one way while the fathers on the farms voted the 
other. The soldiers' votes was a signal illustration of the heaven- 
given principle that those who mostly do sacrifice for a cause, mostly 
do love it. The canvass was the most exciting ever known in any 
state : and honorable to the defeated minority that they submitted 
with such equanimity to the adverse verdict. 

THE GENERALS OF OHIO. 

Ohio is the native state of more eminent generals than any other. 
Among these are Eosecrans, Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Gilmore, Mc- 
Pherson, Custer, Stanley, Granger, Steedman, Weitzell, Crooke, Gar- 
field, Lytle and others. Four of these names — Grant, Eosecrans, Shei - 
man and Sheridan — will forever live. 

Grant was born in 1822 at Point Pleasant, in Clermont county, a two 
hours' trip by steamboat from, and above, Cincinnati, on the banks of 
the Ohio. The three others were born in the heart of the state ; Eose- 
crans, in 1819, in Kingston, Delaware county, twenty -five miles north 
of Columbus; Sheimian, in 1818, in Lancaster, Fairfield county, 
twenty-eight miles southeast of Columbus: Sheridan, in 1831, in Som- 
erset, Perry county, eighteen miles east of Lancaster: all four gradu- 
ated at West Point. 

A vivid 2^en-picture of Grant and Sherman, drawn in a single frame, 
by one who saw them when together at Vicksburg, is in place here. 

First in rank, as well as notoriety, we have Lieutenant-General U. S. Gkant — 
indifferently known as Grant, Ulysses 8. Grant, United States Grant, Uncle Sam 
Grant, and '' Unconditional Surrender" Grant; the same whose "move on the 
enemy's works " at Fort Donelson has become national property, and the same 
man under whose lead our armies have split the confederacy in two, and wrung 
from their grasp all, or the greater portion, of the Mississippi valley. 

Almost at any time, one can see a small but compactly-built man of about 
forty-two years of age, walking through the camps. He moves with his shoulders 



24 TIMES OF THE llEBELLION 

thrust a little forward of the perpendicular, his left hand in the pocket of his pan- 
taloons, an unlisihted cicrar in his mouth, his eyes thrown straight forward, which, 
from the haze of abstraction that veils them, and a countenance drawn into fur- 
rows of thought, would seem to indicate that he is intensely pre-occupied. The 
soldiers observe him coming, and rise to their feet, gather on each side of the way 
to see him pass — they do not salute him, they only watch him curiously, with a 
certain sort of fiimiliar reverence. His abstracted air is not so great, while he is 
thus moving along, as to prevent his seeing everything without apparently looking 
at it; you will see this in the fact that however dense the crowd in which you 
stand, if you are an acquaintance, his eye will for an instant rest on yours with a 
glance of, and with it a grave nod of, recognition. A plain blue suit, without 
scarf, sword or trappings of any sort, save the triple-starred shoulder-strap — an 
indifferently good "Kossuth *' hat, with the top l)attered in close to his head; full 
beard, of a cross between "light" and " sandy;" a square cut face, whose lines 
and contour indicate extreme endurance and determination, complete the exter- 
nal appearance of this small man, as one sees him passing along, turning and 
chewing restlessly the end of his unlighted cigar. 

His countenance, in rest, has the rigid immobility of cast-iron ; and, while this 
indicates the unyielding tenacity of a bull-dog, one finds only in his gray eyes the 
smiles and other evidences of the possession of those other traits seen upon the 
lips and over the Oices of ordinary people. On horseback, he loses all the awk- 
wardness which distinguishes him as he moves about on foot. Erect and graceful, 
he seems a portion of his steed, without which the full effect would be incomplete. 
He held in early days the reputation of being the best rider in the Academy, and 
he seems to have lost none of his excellence in this respect. 

Along with the body guard of General Grant is his son Fred., a stout lad of 
some twelve summers. He endures all the marches, follows his father under fire 
with all the coolness of an old soldier; and is, in short, a "chip of the old 
block." 

Of General Grant's ability I need say nothing — he has been so long before the 
public that all can judge for themselves. The south calls his successes "luck; " 
we in the west believe that he owes them mostly to the possession of a cautious 
military judgment, assisted by good advisers, and backed by invincible persever- 
ance, endurance and determination. 

Almost the exact opposite in every feature of our taciturn, unsmiling chief, is 
Major-General Siikrm.\n. Tall, loosely-built, narrow chest, sandy hair and beard, 
light gray eyes, ghincing incessantly in every direction, smiling mouth and rapid 
utterance, he forms a character as opposite Grant's as zenith to nadir. Grant 
goes about like a piece of marble, endowed with just sufficient vitality for pur- 
poses of locomotion, while Sherman, whether walking, talking or laughing, walks, 
talks and laughs, "all over." Grant's soul is crusted over with rigidity — Sher- 
man's bursts out at every pour, every agitation of his inner man pi-oduces a cor- 
responding agitation of his physical machine. Soul and body seem attuned in 
such harmony, that a chord struck upon the former communicates its vibrations 
to one in the latter. 

Socially, he is a pleasant man, affable to his inferiors and engaging to his equals, 
with a mood that changes with the rapidity of the barometer in the tropics. With 
an utterance rapid almost to incoherency, he, at one instant, is relating some 
laughable incident, the next unfolding the details of some masterly plan, and the 
next hurling fierce imprecations upon the head of some offender. 

Like Grant, he has courage and endurance in abundance — like him, he will 
ride into a storm of liullets, and sit there and watch and order as unconcernedly 
as if the air were tilled with roses instead of hissing messengers of death. Of 
his ability, there is in the army but one opinion, and that is, that among the ablest 
men that this war has produced, he is entitled to no second rank. His ability is 
not confined to any specialty ; he is equally at home Avhether drilling a company 
or division, inspecting a quartei'master's accounts, arranging the details of a battle, 
making an advance or ordering a retreat; in short, he seems to be, and is, familiar 
not only with the practical details of war, but the principles which underlie this 
most intricate and comprehensive art. 



IN OHIO. 25 

"Phil. Sheridan," as his soldiers call him, is the Murat of the 
American army. One who knew him when his star was rapidly cul- 
minating, says : 

We have an enthusiastic admiration for "Phil." Sheri<lan — Brifjadier-'xeneral 
Ph. ir^heridan. We heard of liim first at Corinth, Mississippi. He had been com- 
manding cavah-y under Rosecrans — whose estimate of soldiers carries weight. 
He delighted more to talk of ''Piiil." Sheridan than of any man in the army — 
General George H. Thomas excepted. Of him he always spoke reverentially — a 
man who reminded him of Washington, Rosecrans admired Sheridan's curt, de- 
cisive way of doing things. "Pliil.," he said, "has no surplusage, lie does 
things ; " and the general was happy in describing the grim, insinuating pleasantry 
with whicli Sheridan outwitted the enem}', or hung a spy. Language can't express 
it, because it lacks the e-sentials of voice and manner. "Send Phil. Sheridan on 
an expedition," he was wont to say, "and he will accomplish it, if it is in the 
power of man — he is ready, fertile in resources, with large executive faculty, and 
he fights, J?^Ais .'—do you know what that means ? " 

Fighting was his forte, and yet he is the ■'mildest-mannered man" that ever 
slashed a rel)el crown with saber. It is related of him, that he fought his way 
through West Point, and almost fought his way out. We have his own confession, 
that during his last year he had only "five points " to make to be permitted to re- 
tire without the honors of the institution. The management of those " five points " 
was a difficult and delicate operation. Nevertheless, he graduated with distinc- 
tion, and was one of the most popular men of the academy. 

Your first view of him disappoints yo\i a little. Imagination always plays the 
mischief with your estimate of a hero whom you have not seen — heroic stature, 
handsome face, commanding presence, all seem associated with heroes. Sheridan 
is a quiet, wiry, strong little man, not over five feet seven, or a half inch more, 
but with broad shoulders and strongly-knit frame — weighing, perhaps, one hund- 
red and forty, or a trifle more; short, wiry, black hair, compact head and medium 
forehead, sharp, gray eyes, a composed and firm countenance — with somewhat 
Milesian features, and a brownish complexion, shaded with closely-cropped 
whiskers. 

He is only thirty-two, but his weather-beaten face advertises at least five years 
more. But his stature is soon forgotten in his presence. He grows wonderfully 
on a horse, and especially on a battle-field. On the dreadful morning of Stone 
river, when he emerged with his mangled division in solid phalanx from the fright- 
ful cedars, he loomed up like a very giant. He was grave, but firm, strong, and, 
as Rosecrans dashed up to him in the tumult of battle, his deportment seemed to 
express, "You see, general, it was not the fault of my division that we did not 
stay.'' He had lost his hat and fought bareheaded until a trooper handed him a 
hat picked up in the field — a dead soldier's no doubt. Sunday morning after- 
ward — the enemy had gone then — Sheridan, sitting upon an old stump, at general 
headquarters, told the story quietly, but graphically : "General, 1 lost 1,796 men, 
70 of them officers, with my 3 brigade commanders." 

These were noble Sill, Roberts and Shaeffer — than whom more gallant soldiers 
neverfought under the flag. Stone river made Sheridan a major-general, and they 
always said in the army of the Cumberland, "Phil. Sheridan is the rising man of 
this army." When Grant put him in command of the cavalry on the Potomac 
those who knew" him recognized the right man in the right place. 

At the beginning of the war, General Sheridan was a lieutenant of infiintry. 
Governor Blair, of Michigan, commissioned him as colonel of a regiment of Mich- 
igan cavalry, and he was actively engaged in Tennessee and Mississippi, doing 
valuable service and hard fighting, until he was promoted to brigadier-general, 
soon after which he was assigned to the command of a division in McCook's corps, 
where he remained until assigned to the position of commander of the cavalry in 
the army of the Potomac. His parents are natives of Ireland, but he is a native 
of Ohio. 

In the history of war tlicre is not a single instance of the mere per- 



26 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

sonal advent ot a general npon the field, tinsustained by a body of 
ft'esh troops, changing, by the simple magic of his presence, a defeat 
into a victory, excepting m the case of Sheridan at Cedar creek. Our 
men had given way everywhere, and whcL., as thus described : 

Suddenly there is a dust in the rear, on the Winchester road, and almost before 
we are aware, a fiery -look! ni;, impetuous, dashing younii; man in full niojor-gen- 
eral's uniform, and riding furiously a magnificent black horse, literally "flecked 
with foam," and no poetic license about it, reins up and springs ofi" by General 
Crook's side. There is a perfect roar, as everybody recognized ISheridan. He 
talks with Crook a little while, cutting away at the tops of the weeds with his 
riding-whip. General Crook speaks half a dozen sentences, that sound a great 
deal like tlie whip, and by that time some of the staff are up. They are sent fly- 
ing in different directions. Sheridan and Crook lie down and seem to be talking, 
and all is quiet again, except the vicious shells of the different batteries, and the 
roar of artillery along the line. After a while, Colonel Forsyth comes down in 
our front and shouts to the general: "The 19th corps is closed up, sir." Sheridan 
jumps up, gives one more cut with his whip, whirls himself around once, jumps 
on his horse and starts up the line. Just as he starts he says to our men — " JFe 
are going to have a good thing on them noio, boys!" It don't sound like Cicero, 
or Daniel Webster, but it doubled the force at our end of the line. 

And so he rode off, a long wave of yells rolling up to the right with him. We 
took our posts, the line moved forward — and the balance of that day is already 
history. 

The descriptive poem of Buchanan Eead is as stirring as words can 
paint deeds. Genius in song illustrates genius in war, and the hearts 
of the nation beat in unison with the music. 

Sheridan's eide. 
Up from the south at break of day, 
Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay, 
The affrighted air with a shudder bore. 
Like a herald in haste to the chieftain's door, 
The terrible grumble and rumble and roar. 
Telling the battle was on once more, 
And Sheridan twenty miles away. 

And wilder still those billows of war 

Thundered along the horizon's bar, 

And louder yet into Winchester rolled 

The roar of that red sea uncontrolled, 

Making the blood of the listener cold 

As he thought of the stake in that fiery fray, 

And Sheridan twenty miles awaj'. 

But there is a road from Winchester town, 

A good, broad highway leading down ; 

And there, through the flush of morning light, 

A steed, as black as the steeds of night, 

Was seen to pass as with eagle flight — 

As if he knew the terrible need 

He stretched away with his utmost speed ; 

Hill rose and fell — but his heart was gay. 

With Sheridan fifteen miles away. 

' Still sprung from those swift hoofs, thundering south. 

The dust, like the smoke from the cannon's moutli, 
Or the trail of a comet, sweeping fiister and faster, 
Foreboding to traitors the doom of disaster; 



IN OHIO. 27 

The heart of the steed and the heart of the master 
Were beating like prisoners assaultinij tlieir walls, 
Impatient to be where the battle-field calls ; 
Every nerve of the charger was strained to full play, 
With Sheridan only ten miles away. 

Under his spurning feet, th« road 

Like an arrowy Alpine river flowed, 

And the landscape sped away behind 

Like an ocean flying before the wind; 

And the steed, like a bark fed with furnace ire. 

Swept on, with his wild eyes full of fire. 

But, lo! he is nearing his heart's desire — 

He is snuffing the smoke of the roaring fray, 

With Sherjdan only five miles away. 

The first that the general saw were the groups 
Of stragglers, and then the retreating troops ;^ 
What was done — what to do— a glance told him both. 
Then striking his spurs with a terrible oath, 
He dashed down the line ' mid a storm of huzzas, 
And the wave of retreat checked its course there because 
The sii^dit of the master compelled it to pause, 
With foam and with dust the black charirer was gray; 
By the flash of his eye, and his red nostrils' play, 
He seemed to the whole great army to say: 
"I have brought you Sheridan all the way 
From Winchester down to save the day! " 

Hurrah, hurrah, for Sheridan ! 

Hurrah, hurrah, for horse and man ! 

And when their statutes are placed on hio-h 

Under the dome of the union sky, 

The American soldiers' temple of fame, 
- There with the glorious general's name. 

Be it said in letters both'bold and bright: 
" Here is the steed that saved the day. 

By carrying Sheridan into the fiLi-ht, 

From Winchester— twenty miles away!" 

The cliaracter of Eosecrans is indicated by the followino- nncodote 
a soldier relates : & - > 

On Wednesday, while we were stationed as guard to the ford, Gen. Rosecrans 
came up to Col. Price, commanding the brigade, and said: 

"You're Col. Price, commanding the vi2d brigade, are you ? 

" Yes, sir." 

" Well, Colonel, will you hold this ford ?" 

"Well, General, I will if T dan." 

"That won't do, sir," said Rosecrans. "Will you hold this ford?" 

"I'll die in the attempt," responded the cautious colonel. 

" That won't do, sir. Will you hold this fordf 

"I will," said the colonel, fh-mly, and General Rosecrans rode off without an- 
other word, and left the colonel to fulfill his promise. 

The last day of 1862 was a marked one in the history of Eosecrans 
He was at Stone river; his army was encamped in line of battle.' 
McCook s corps formed his right, in three divisions— Johnson's, Davis', 
bheridans. Secretly, with the stcalthiness of savao-es the rebels 
massed themselves at the extreme right, under cover of the woods 



28 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

The unsnspecting soldiers were totally unprepared. Some of the ar- 
tillery horses were oflF for water. Advancing through the morning 
fog, they bounded on like an army of ravenous wolves, screaming, 
yelling as they ran, striking, first upon Johnson, then upon Davis, and 
at last upon Sheridan, rolling and crumbling them up, and hurling 
them, routed and flying, into the cedar thickets which skirt the Nash- 
ville turnpike. 

Rosecrans would send no help. He was fearful of weakening his left 
and center, which up to this had not been engaged, for the enemy lay 
in his front within sight, anxiously Avatching and ready to- pounce 
upon him. If any part had been weakened they would have attacked, 
and, if successful, would have destroyed his army. His preparations 
were to halt the enemy on his defeated right, without exposing his 
left and center to imminent danger. For this purpose he massed his 
artillery and troops on the position occupied by the center, one of the 
most difficult of maneuvres, and changed his line of battle. There 
it was that the genius of Rosecrans was displayed. A more vivid 
description of battle is never seen than this which any eje-witness 
gives : 

Lines upon lines were piled upon each other with matchless skill. Columns 
were hurled in solid ranks from one side of the field to the other as if they were 
toys ; the evolutions of the brigades as steady as the movements of a grand review. 
Thousands acquired an idea of the art of handling masses of which lliey never 
dreamed before. 

The rebels came nearer and nearer the Nashville turnpike, nearly two miles and 
a half; the right wing of our army had been driven in with a loss of twenty-eight 
pieces of artillery and a thousand of our men. A faintness of heart came over me 
as the destruction of our whole army seemed to stare us in the face, but Rose- 
crans stood with the flower of his center and left wing in an array of imposing 
grandeur along the turnpike and facing the woods. The scene was as grand and 
awful at this time as anything I ever expect to witness until the day of judg- 
ment. Let the rebels ever obtain possession of the turnpike and of the immense 
train of wagons along it, its line of retreat would ))e cut off, and nothing could 
save the union army from utter rout and capture. Such sounds as proceeded from 
that gloomy forest of pines and cellars were enough to appal the stoutest heart. 
The roar of cannon, the crashing of the shot through the trees, the whizzing and 
busting of shells, the uninterrupted rattle of thirty thousandmuskets, all mingled 
in one prolonged and tremendous volume of sounds ; and above all could be 
heard the wild cheers of the traitorous troops as body after body of our men 
gave way and were pushed back toward the turnpike. Nearer and nearer came 
the storm, louder and louder resounded the tumult of battle. The immense train 
of wagons packed along the roads suddenly seemed instinct with struggling life, 
and every species of army vehicle, preceded by frightened mules and horses, rolled 
and rattled away pell-mell in an opposite direction from that in which tlie victori- 
ous foe were pressing onward. The shouts and cries of terrified teamsters urg- 
ing teams to the top of their speed, were now mingled with the billows of sounds 
wiiich swayed and surged over the field. iSuddenly the rout became visible, and 
crowds of "ten thousand fugitives, presenting every possible phase of wild and un- 
controlled disorder, Imrst from the cedar thickets, and rushed into the open space 
between them and the turnpike. Amongst them all, perhaps not half a dozen 
members of the same regiment could have been found together. Thick and fast 
the bullets of the enemy fell amongst them, and some of them were shot down, 
but still the number constantly increased by reason of the thick crowds which 
every moment burst from the thickets. 

Awaiting the coming storm, conspicuous among all the rest, was the well built 
form of our Commanding General, his countenance unmoved by the tumult around 



IN OHIO. 



29 



him, and his thoughtful and animated features expressing a high and patriotic 
hope which acted like an inspiration on every one that beheld him. As he cast 
his eye over the grand army which he had mustered to repel the foe, he already 
felt Tuaster of the situation. 

At last the long lines of the enemy emerged from the wood rank behind rank, 
and with a demoniac yell, intended to strike terror into the souls of the Yankees 
who stood before them, charged with fearful yells to the very muzzle of tbe can- 
non, whose dark mouths yawned upon them. A dazzling sheet of flame burst 
from the ranks of the union forces. An awful roar shook the earth, a crash rent 
the atmosphere, and the foremost line of the rebel host was literally swept from 
the field. For ten minutes the thunder of battle burst from the clouds. When 
our batteries advanced they found no rebels between the turnpike and tlie wood, 
excepting the dead, dying and wounded. The roar of our artillery sounded farther 
and farther off as our difl'erent batteries moved after the routed, living foe, and 
we in turn again occupied a considerable portion of tlie lost ground of the morning. 

Since the annihilation of the old guard, in their charge at Waterloo, there pro- 
bably had not been an instance of so great slaughter in so short a time as in this 
rebel repulse at Murfreesboi'o. 

That eminent engineer Maj. Gen. Qitincy Adams Gilmore was born 
in 1828, some thirty miles west of Cleveland, on the margin of Lake 
Erie, in Black river township, Lorrain county. 

His surprising skill in gunnery, shown in the reduction of Fort Pulaski, and in 
the siege of Charleston, has lastingly identified his name with the highest achieve- 
ments in military science. His "swamp angel," located on the flats, miles away 
from the doomed city, became a very fiend of destruction, as from its monster 
mouth huge fiery missiles shot forth, converting entire squares into shapeless ruing, 
and streets into untrodden, deserted wastes. There, where for thirty years trea- 
son had stalked in wicked effrontery, the demon of war meted out righteous ret- 
ribution. 

Ohio's dead ! they lay upon every battle field. Tens of thousands 
mourn fathers, brothers, sons, who have died for us and ours. 
Beyond the sacred limits of their own homes, they mostly were un- 
known. But it matters not. The choicest sj^irits, the most noble na- 
tures that God has here created often live but to suffer and die, crushed 
and bleeding among the obscure of earth. They rise in etherial bright- 
ness, appreciated in the higher immortality. 

History groups them in masses, and holds up to the gaze of the liv- 
ing the heroism of their dead. Here and there one, who has been 
elevated by rank, combined with opportunity and capacity, is singled 
out for an individual memorial. A lew such among Ohio's dead come 
under our notice. 

Major-General James B. McPherson, who fell in the battle of Peach- 
tree creek, July 22, 1864, in the campaign against Atlanta, in his 36th 
year, was born in vSandusk}^, Ohio. He was educated at West Point. 
After the battle of Shiloh, he was chief engineer and had charge of 
all the fortifications erected in the siege of Corinth. He was subse- 
quently assigned to the command of a division, and gained greai 
credit at Yicksburg, as one of the chosen otficers of Grant. 

His characteristics, as thus described, are beautiful. 

In few military men of our army were the qualities of a true gentleman so hnp- 
pily blended with those of a real soldier. Justly' regarded as one of the most 
skillful soldiers in the western army, he was noted for a total absence of that 
roughness and uncouthness of manner, almost amounting to boorishness, wliich 
some oflicers seem to regard as a sine qua non to tlae make-up of a good com- 



30 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

mander. Xo subordinate, whatever his rank or station, whether private soldier or 
brigadier-fjeneral, ever received from him an unkind answer or an uncivil word. 
He was as courteous to his body-servant as he was respectful to his superiors in 
rank and position. 1'he writer recollects, on one occasion, an officer said to him, 
"Why don't you swear at the damned rascals?" alluding to some men who had 
been guilty of dereliction of duty. The general replied, " I have no more right to 
swear at them than at you. How would you like to have me damn you a little 
now and then?" It was a favorite expression of his that politeness was a coin 
that passed current everywhere, and was never at a discount. 

His courage was of a kind most valuable to an army, and to himself as a com- 
mander. He was stoical, but never impetuous — calm, cool and self-possessed, no 
matter what the danger that might surround him. He never lost his presence of 
mind for a single moment, even in the most desperate situation, or during the pro- 
gress of the most hotly-contested engagement. His enthusiasm never got the bet- 
ter of his judgment, and he could give as good counsel and advice during the pro- 
gress of a bayonet charge, led by himself, as if he. were enjoying a social iete a 
tete far removed from the scene of hostile operations. He would form his line of 
battle under the heaviest fire of the enemy, with as much indifference to rebel 
cannon and sharpshooters as if he were arranging a holiday dress-parade. We 
think we utter but the verdict of all who knew General McPherson, when we say 
he was a model soldier ani^ a model gentleman. 

General i\IcPherson was killed under the following circumstances : The battle 
of the 22a was fairly opened about 12 o'clock, M. After it had progressed some 
time, a gap appeared in our line between the 16th and J 7th corps, which the reb- 
els sought to take advantage of and permanently divide the line. Gen. McPher- 
son, perceiving this situation and danger, at once rushed to the front, and, with 
two or three of his staff, was superintending the location of men to defeat the 
rebel plan. This brought him within fifty yards of the rebel advance, who fired 
a volley on him and his few companions. A ball struck him in the right side, and 
passing through, shattered the spinal column, causing instantaneous death. 

Major-General Logan was at once quietly notified of what had occurred, and 
without the troops knowing their terrible loss, the battle went on, and a victory 
won by McPherson's troops on the plan devised by him. It was about half an 
hour after his death before the corpse was fully in our possession, it, in the mean- 
time, lying on the disputed ground between the two armies. 

General .McPherson rode, on this occasion, a favorite black horse, which he ob- 
tained of a surgeon after the battle of Corinth, and which had carried him safely 
through every battle in which he had since been engaged. So fortunate had both 
been, that he had come to feel a degree of safety on the back of his noble steed. 
But in this, their last association, the charm was broken with both of them — the 
rider was killed, and the charger received three balls, which, however, were not 
fatal. 

The correspondence that ensued between General Grant and the 
grandmother of McPherson, aged 87 years and 4 months, on the occa- 
sion of his death is a most touching souvenir. A good old lady, as 
her letter shows her to be, is very certain to be, as she was, blessed in 
the per^ictuation of virtue to the second generation. 

Clyde, Ohio, August 3, 1864. 
To General Grant : 

Dear Sir — I hope you will pardon me for troubling you with the perusal of these few lines 
from the trembling hand of the aged grandma of our beloved Goucral James B. McPher- 
son, who fell in battle. 

When it was announced at his funeral, from the public print, that when General Grant 
heard of his death, he went into his tent and wept like a child, my heart went out in 
thanks to you for the interest you manifested in him while he was with you. 

I have watched his progress from infancy up. In childhood, he was obedient and kind ; 
in manhood, interesting, noble and persevering, looking to the wants of others. Since he 
entered the war, others e^n appreciate his worth more than I can. When it v/as announced 
to us, by telegraph, that our loved one had fallen, our hearts were almost rent asunder j 



IN OHIO. 31 

Dut when we heard the commander-in-chief could weep with us too. we felt, sir, that yon 
had been as a father to him, and this whole nation is mourning his early death. 

I wii^h to inform you that, his remains were conducted by a kind guard to the 
very parlor where he spent a cheerful evening, in ]S6], with his widowed mother, two 
brothers, an only sister and his aged grandma, who is now trying to write. In the morn- 
ing, he took his leave at 6 o'clock, little dreaming he should fall by a ball from the enemy. 
His funeral services were attended in his mother's orchard, where his youthful feet had often 
pressed the soil to gather the falling fruit, and his remains are resting in the silent grave, 
scarce half a mile from the place of his birth. His grave is on an eminence but a few rods 
from where the funeral services were attended, and near the grave of his father. The 
grave, no,.doubt, will be marked, so that passers by will often pause to drop a tear over 
the departed. 

And now, dear friend, a few lines from j'ou would be gratefully received by the afflicted 
friends. I pray that the God of battles may be with you, and go forth with your armies 
till rebellion shall cease, the union be restored, and the old flag wave over our entire coun- 
try. With much respect, I remain your friend, Lydia Slocum, 

Aged 87 years and 4 months. 



GENERAL GRANT S REPLY. 
RTERS Ar; 

City Point, Va., August 10, 1864 



Headquarters Armies op the United States, 1 



Mrs. Lydia Slofum : 

My Dear Madam — Tour very welcome letter of the .3d inst. has just reached me. I 
am glad to know the relatives of the lamented Major-General McPherson are aware of 
the more than friendship existing between him and myself. A nation grieves at the 
loss of one so dear to our nation's cause. It is a selfish grief, because the nation had 
more to expect from him than from almost any one living. I join in this selfish grief, 
and add the grief of personal love for the departed. He formed for some time one of 
my military family. I knew him well. To know him was but to love him. It may 
be some consolation to you, his aged grandmother, to know that every officer and every 
soldier who served under your grandson, felt the highest reverence for his patriotism, 
his zeal, his great, almost unequaled ability, his amiability, and all the many virtues 
that can adorn a commander. Your bereavement is great, but can not exceed mine. 

Yours truly, U. S. Grant, Lieut. -Gen. 

Brigadier-Gen. Egbert L. McCook was a member of that heroic 
Ohio family, that has lost so many members in the war. One of them, 
a mere boy of seventeen, was killed at Bull Run, at the beginning of 
the rebellion. Being called upon to surrender, — he re2:)lied — "I never 
surrender to a rebel;" upon uttering which, he was shot. Another 
son, B]"igadier-General Daniel McCook, was mortally wounded at Ken- 
esaw Mountain. The father, a venerable old man, volunteered to as- 
sist in driving Morgan's guerrillas from the state, and was killed in 
action: and Eobert McCook himself was assassinated by rebels. A 
fourth brother is the Major-General Alexander McDowxl McCook, an 
army corps commander at Perryville, Stone river and Chickamauga. 
Robert at the outbreak of the war, was a lawyer in Cincinnati. Within 
48 hotxrs after the President's first call he mustered into the service 
the 9th Ohio, and had them in camp. It was composed entirely of 
Germans, became one of the most effective of regiments, and had the 
distinguished honor of making at Mill Springs the first bayonet charge 
of the war. He was a large-hearted, impulsive man : and so hated 
all pretense and show of any kind, that he most unwillingly submitted 
to the requirement of wearing a military dress. He was murdered in 
the summer of 1862, while riding, sick and recumbent in a spring-* 
wagon, attended by a small escort of half a dozen cavalrymen, who, 
all but one, cow^ardly galloped off as the guerrillas appeared. The 
subsequent particulars are thus stated. 

Captain Hunter Brooke, was riding with the general, who, owing to his feeble 
condition, was lying in the bottom of the box. When the guerrillas opened the 
fire upon the conveyance, Gen. jSlcCook at once exclaimed, " The bushwhackers 



32 TIMES OF THE REBELLION. 

are upon us," ordered the driver, his nef^ro servant John, to turn quickly around, 
and rose to his knees to assist him in holdinc;; the frightened horses. The team 
was just fairly started, when the murderer of the general came up and ordered 
it to halt. It being impossible to check the spirited horses at once, the team kept 
moving, when the guerrilla again ordered it to halt, but almost instantaneously 
fired the fatal shot from his carbine, although Captain Brooke begged him not to 
fire upon a sick man. Another rebel rode up at the same time and aimed his gun, 
when the general told him, reproachfully, " You need'nt shoot, I am already fa- 
tally wounded." The bullet passed entirely through his body, fatally tearing the 
intestines. 

The main body of the rebels pursued the flying escort, and but three or four 
remained with their victim. The general was driven to, and taken into, the house 
at which he died, by Captain Urooke and .John. He stated afterward, that when 
the party came up to the house, the occupanis, women and children, clapped their 
hands in approbation of the rebel achievement. In a few minutes, those that had 
gone in pursuit, came tearing back, and hurried off with Captain Brooke. John, 
upon the advice of the general, had previously managed to escape out of the 
house and through a corn-field. 

The general lived about twenty-fonr hours after being wounded. He was con- 
scious to the last, although frequently unable to speak from the dreadful pain he 
was suffering. Whenever able, he uttered words of advice, gratitude and con- 
solation to those around him. 

His dying moments showed the nobility of the man. In a lull of his parox- 
ysms of anguish, he said to young Captain Burt, "Andy, the problem of life will 
soon be solved for me. My good friend, may your life be longer and to a better 
purpose than mine." In reply to Father Beatty,, the brigiide wagon-master, if he- 
had any message for his brother, Alex., he answered: "Tell him and the rest, I 
have tried to live as a man, and die attempting to do my duty." Finally, clasping 
his hands in the death struggle, the dying man exclaimed : " 1 am done with life ; 
yes, this ends all. You and 1 part now, but the loss of ten thousand such lives as 
yours and mine would be nothing, if their sacrifice would but save such a govern- 
ment as ours." 

The whole brigade arrived at the house about an hour after he was wounded. 
The men came up in double quick, panting and shouting for vengeance, 'i'he ef- 
fect of the sad sight of their mortally-wounded general upon them Avas most dis- 
tressing. All day and night the faitliful soldiery were grouped aliout tlie house, 
waiting their turn to bid a last farewell to their commander. Neither among the 
officers nor the men was there a dry eye, or a lip, not quivering with anguish. A 
more moving scene, it is said, was never beheld. The brigade did not resume its 
march until the general had breathed his last. 

Betribution — terrible retribution was dealt by the 9th Ohio. With fire, and 
sword, and bayonet, the scene of the foul assassination was reduced to a state of 
desolation. Every house in the neighborhood, and over 70 of rebel citizens, men, 
were shot or hung. 

Major Gen. O. M. Mitchell was born in Kentucky in 1810; but 
when a boy removed to Ohio, and from that time was identified with 
this state. At fifteen years of age he received a cadet warrant; and, 
being poor, earned the money that paid his expenses to West Point. 
But his manner of traveling was humble; for, bearing his knapsack, 
he footed it all the way from homo, in Lebenon, Warren county, Ohio, 
and arrived there in June, 1825, with onl}^ twenty-five cents in his 
pocket. Soon after graduating he settled in Cincinnati, founding in 
184-5, the first Astronomical Observatory ever erected on the globe by 
the contributions of the people. When the war broke out, he said: 
"He was ready to fight in the ranks, or out of it; and he only asked 
permission from his country to have something to do.'' This sentence 
was the key note to his character — patriotism and intense activity. 



IN OHIO. 



33 



In August:, 1861, he was created treneral. After the occupation of Nashville, 
he -was given command of an independent expedition; Avhen, with incredible 
celerity, he marched across the country and took possession of the whole of the 
railroad running across north Ahibaraa, and at the same time guarding that from 
Nashville to Stevenson, making in all 352 miles of railroad, besides 120 miles of 
river patroling, to prevent the rebels getting up ferries and crossing the Tennes- 
see; with his pickets extending over hundreds of miles, he knew almost every hour 
Avhat was transpiring in that large district. From Corinth, on the West, to Chat- 
tanooga, on the east, he kept the rebels in continual excitement by his rapid move- 
ments. No sooner had he planned and started an expedition in one direction than 
be followed it by the instant execution of a new one in another. One day he Avas 
threatening the rebel general at Chattanooga, and had him telegraphing all over 
the South for help. Another, he was on the left wing of the Corinth army, driving 
their guerrillas across the Tennessee. The moving force of ^litchell, aside from 
those left to guard the railroads was less than 3,000 men, and but one regiment 
of cavalry, — John Kennett's 4th Ohio. These were always in advance, scattered 
over a territory of 300 miles, and so continually moving, that Kirby Smith, at 
Chattanooga, could not refrain from asking, " How manj'- thousand of the 4th Ohio 
cavalry are there ? We can't put our foot down anywhere but we iind them." 
So active and daring was Mitchell, and so much was accomplished, that the en- 
emy fancied he must have had thirty thousand men I 

In all his operations, Mitchell never threw up a single spadeful of earth, unless 
it was to hold a railroad bridge ; and he never allowed the enemy to attack him 
in any position or in any single instance, while he harassed them continually by 
skirmishes and assaults. Sleeping but four hours out of the twenty-four, Avitli all 
the energies of a most ardent temperament enlisted in the cause, he formed a con- 
trast to the slow-moving Buell. This officer, after the evacuation of Corinth, 
marched with his army corps of nearly 40,000 men, and took chief command. 

In the f:\Jl (1862) Mitchell was put in command of the department of the south, 
and was preparing for a vigorous campaign against Charleston when he was 
seized with yellow fever, and died on the 30th of October. 

General Mitchell was the author of several valuable astronomical 
works ; and as a lecturer on astronomy, so far surpassed all others, as 
to have been pronounced the only lecturer on the subject the country 
ever had. His religious instincts Avere very sti'ong ; he was all alive 
with feeling; he possessed great fluency and command of language, 
and he electrified his audiences with this most sublime, elevating topic, 
as probably no man living or dead had ever done before. 

His " Woi'ds for Poor Boi/s," show _what were his early struggles, 
and the spirit that enabled him to rise above obstacles. Poor boys, 
some of them, we trust, will read these pages. Here is encouragement 
from the lips of a good and eminent man. 

When I was a boy of twelve years, I was working for twenty-five cents a week, with 
an old laily, and I had my bands full, but I did my work faithfully. I used to cut 
wood fetch water, make fires, scrub and scour in the mornings, for her, before the real 
work of the day commenced ; my clothes were bad, and I had no means of buying shoes, 
60 was olten barefooted. 

One morning I got through my work early, and the old lady, who thought I had not 
done it, or was especially ill-humored then, was displeased, scolded me, and said I was 
idle and had not worked. I said I had ; she called me a " liar." I felt my spirit rise in- 
dii^nantly a^'ainst this, and standing erect I told her that she could never have the chance 
of applying that word to me again. I walked out of the house, to re-enter it no tnore. 

I h;i(l not a cent in my pocket when I stepped into the world. What do you think I did 
then, boys ? I met a countryman with a team, I addressed him boldly and earnestly, and 
offered to drive the leader, if he would only take me on. He looked at me in surprise, 
but said he did not think I'd be of any use to him. " yes, I will," said I ; "I can 
rub down and watch your horses, and do many things for you, if you will only let me 
try." He no longer objected. I got on the horse's back. It was hard traveling, for. 
the roads were deep, and we could only get on at the rate of twenty miles per day. 
This was, however, my starting-point. I went ahead after this. An independent spirit, 



34 



TIMES OF THE KEBELLION 



and a steady, honest conduct, with what capacity God has given mo — as he has given 
you — have carried me successfully through the world. 

Don't be down-hearted at being poor, or having no friends. Try, and try again. 
You CO)? cut your way through, if you live, so please God. I know it's a hard time for 
some of you. You are often hungry and wet with the rain or snow, and it seems dreary 
to have^Tio one in the city to care for you. But trust in Christ, and he will be your 
friend. Keep up good heart, and be determined to make your own way, honestly and 
truly, through the world. As I said, I feel for you, because I have gone through it 
all — I know what it is. God bless you. 

General TVm. H. Lytle was born in Cincinnati, on the 2d of Nov. 
1826, and bred to tlie law. He served in the Mexican war; and at the 
breaking out of the rebellion was chosen colonel of the 10th Oliio vol- 
unteer infantry, almost entirely composed of Irishmen, — a fighting 
regiment, of course. He was wounded at Carnifex Ferry, also at the 
battle of Chaplin's hills, Ky.; and finall}', killed while leading a charge 
at Chickamauga, September, 20, 1863. He was a man singularly 
gifted, and sincerely mourned. The following is a faithful tribute to 
his memory. 

LINES TO THE MEMORY OF WM. H. LTTLE. 



The flag was drnpod with funeral hues — 

The flafr ho loved so well ; 
' Neath which he marched to battle oft — 

' Npjith which he proudly fell. 
Its ,iilorioii,s folds were wound around 

The noble warrior's breu'^t ; 
Together they wex-e in the fight, 

Together let them rest. 

Dead marches on the muffled drums 

For soldier true and tried, 
For poet sweet, bring Ij're and sword, 

And lay them by his side. 
Though strong of hand, of gentle heart, 

If prayers and sighs could save, 
We had notfuUowed him in tears, 

To liis untimely grave. 



Untimely! No— his country called. 

For her he shed liis blood ; 
But left these glorious names behind, 

The Gallant and the Good ! 
Gallant and Good, yes — Gifted, too ; 

Ohio's crown of pride 
Ne'er lost a brighter star, than when 

The noble Lytle died. 

Tet long upon the storied page, 

His honored name shall stand, 
Not last and least among the great 

And worthy of our land. 
As be remembers Lytle's sword. 

The patriot shall be strong ; 
And bards shall inspiration catch 

From Lytle's fervid song. 



But Lytle needed no lines from stranger-pen to perpetuate his fame 
The yxjct's own does that in these sad strains, as jjlaintive as those of 
an EoHan. 



ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. 



I am dyin?:, Egypt, dying. 

Ebbs the crimson life-tide fast. 
And the dark Plutonian shadows 

Gather on the evening blast ; 
Let thine arm, Queen, enfold me, 

Hush thy sobs and bow thine ear, 
Listen to the great heai"t secrets 

Thou, and thou alone must hear. 



Shonld the base plebian ra.lible 

Dare assail my name at Kome, 
Where the noble spouse. Octavia, 

Weeps within her widowed home, 
Seek her ; say the gods bear witness. 

Altars, augurs, circling wings, 
That her blood, with mine commingled, 

Yet shall mount the thrones of kings. 



Though roy scarred and veteran legions 

Bear their eagles high no more. 
And my wrecked and scattered galleys 

Strew dark Actium's fatal shore ; 
Though no glittering guards surround me. 

Prompt to do their master's will, 
I muft perish like a Roman, 

Die the great Triumvir still. 

Let Cresar's servile miniins 

Mark the lion thus laid low ; 
' Twas no foeman's arm that felled him, 
Twas his own that struck the blow- 
His who. pillowed on thy bosom. 

Turned aside from glory's ray — 
His who. drunk with thy caresses. 

Madly threw a world away. 



And for thee, star-eyed Egyptian ! 

Glorious sorceress of the Nile, 
Light the path to stygian horrors 

With the splendors of thy smile ; 
Give the Cic-ar crowns and arches, 

Let his brow the laurel twine. 
I can scorn the senate's triumphs, 

Triumphing in love like thine. 

I am dying, Egypt, dying; 

Hark! the insulting fieman's cry, 
They are cominc ; quick, my falchion, 

Let me front them ere I die. 
Ah, no more amid the battle 

Shall my heart exulting swell, 
Isis and Osiris guard thee, 

Cleopatra, Home, farewell ! 



*THE TinVTES 



THE REBELLIOISr 

WEST YIHaiN"! A. 



West Yirginia early became a theater of military operations. 
These were on a comparatively small scale, owing to the difficulties of 
providing and sustaining large armies. The country as a whole may 
be defined as a collection of lofty mountains, with deep narrow valleys 
that seem to exist merel}^ to define the mountains. Along these valleys 
are a primitive people, simple in their wants, dressing in homespun, and 
living a varied life of hunting and agriculture. Tliey are scattered in 
cabins often miles apart, the mountains so encroaching upon them as 
to leave but mere threads of arable land. The roads for want of room 
are much of the way in the beds of the streams, which are swollen by 
every heavy shower to raging, impassable torrents. Bridges do not 
exist excepting at a few points. Military operations are very difficult; 
transportation at times being impossible. 

The best part is in the JSTorthwest, along the valley of the Ohio and its 
tributaries. In this section runs the Baltimore & Ohio Eailroad, which 
forks at Grafton about 100 miles from the Ohio, one branch termi- 
nating at Parkersburg and the other at Wheeling. The secessionists 
at the beginning made strenuous exertions to" hold this country, 
and suppress its union sentiment: also to possess the fertile valley of 
the Kanawha, so valuable to them for its abundant crops of grain and 
iaexhaustible supplies of salt. 

The first event of the war in West Yirginia was the surprise by two 
union regiments under Cols. Kelly and Lander, on the morning of the 
3d of .Tune, 18G1, of some 1500 secession troops under Col. Porterfield, 
at Philippi, a small village on the Monongahela about 20 miles south 
of Grafton. None of the unionists were killed; and the loss of the 
secessionists trifling. The surprise occurred at daybreak; but it so 
happened that the secessionists mostly made good their escape. Their 
flight is amusingly described by one present. Said he "Did you ever 
drive a stake into an ant hill, and watch the movements of the panic 
stricken inhabitants? It was nothing to this flight. They didn't stop 
to put on their clothes, much less their shoes; grabbing the first thing 
they could reach, and dressing as they ran, each turned his face to- 
ward Beverly. One fellow had cased one leg in his unwhisperableS', 
when the cannister came whizzing about him. — ^'Delf.y was death,' 
and with his shirt streaming behind, and the unfilled leg of his pants 
•flopping and trailing after him, he presented a most comical figure. 
3 85 



36 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

Some, half-naked, mounted horses unbridled, and grasjiing the mane, 
urged them into a sharp run by their cries and vigorous heel-punches. 
Many took to the thickets on the hills; ^nd among these unfortunates 
the Indianians, after the melee was over, ignorant of their 2:»resence, 
discharged their minie rifles, for the purjiose of clearing their guns, and 
with fatal efl:ect." 

Gen. McClellan, in command of the department of the Ohio, for politi- 
cal reasons, refrained from crossing into Western Yirginia until the 27th 
of May, after the ordinance of secession had been voted upon in a state 
election. Then the western troops crossed over and took a position at 
Grafton. On the 11th of July, occurred the battle of Rich Mountain. 
At that period the secession forces under Gen. Garnett, numbering 
several thousand men, occupied near Beverly two intrenched camps — 
Eich Mountain and Laurel Hill, a few miles apart. Garnett remained 
at the last named, leaving Rich Mountain under the immediate com- 
mand of Col. Pegram. Eosecrans was sent with three regiments of 
Indiana and Ohio troops to make an attack upon Pegram. Passing 
around the mountain, through miles of almost impenetrable thickets, 
Eosecrans, assisted by Col. Lander, made a spirited attack upon the 
upper intrenchment of the enemy, who were routed and fled. McClel- 
lan was preparing to attack Garnett, but he fled also. On the 13th 
Col. Pegram, who had been wandering in the hills for two days without 
food, surrendered unconditionally. When Pegram advanced to hand 
his sword to Major Laurence Williams, each instantly recognized the 
other, and both were moved to teai-s, and turned away unable to speak 
for a few moments. They had been classmates at West Point, and 
had met thus for the first time in many years. The number captured 
amounted to about 600. Pegram was killed late in the war, at the 
■battle of Hatcher's Eun, before Eichmond, Feb. 1865. 

The same day. Gen. Garnett, with the main body, on his retreat, 
was overtaken some thirty miles north at Carrick's Ford on Shafer's 
Pork of Cheat Eiver, by the advance of Gen. Morris. He attempted 
to make a stand to cover his retreat: his men became panic stricken 
and fled before half their number. Here Garnett was killed by a 
sharpshooter. Not a Virginian was at his side when he fell: a young 
lad from Georgia alone stood by him bravely to the last, and when 
■Garnett fell, he fell too. Garnett was about 40 years of age, a broth er- 
in-hiAV of Gov. Wise, and in the Mexican war aid to Gen. Taylor. He 
•was a roommate at West Point of Major Love, of Gen. Morris' statf. 

"Bat an hour or two before, the major had been talking about his former ac- 
quaintance and friendship with Garnett, and had remarked that he would be glad if 
Garnett could only be taken prisoner, that he might be able to see him again, and 
talk with him about the government which had educated and honored him. When 
the major reached the field, a short time after the flight of the rebels, he was led 
to the bank of the river, where the body of his old roommate lay stretched upon " 
the stones! Who shall blame him for "the manly tears he shed kneeling by that 
traitor corpse? The brave boy who fell by, was taken to the hill above the head- 
quarters and buried by our troops. At liis head they placed a board, with the 
inscription: "Name unknown. A brave fellow who shared his general's fate, and 
fell fighting by his side, while his companions fled." 

The appearance of the battle field is thus described by an eye witness. 

Returning from the bank where Garnett lay, I went up to the blufi" on which 

.the enemy had been posted. Around was a sickening sight. Along the brink of 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 37 

that bluflf lay the dead, stifFening in their own gore, in every contortion which 
their death anguish had produced. Others were gasping in the hist agonies, and 
still others were writhing with horrihle but not mortal wounds, surrounded by the 
soldiers whom they really believed to be about to plunge the bayonet to their 
hearts. Never before had I so ghastly a realization of the horrid nature of this 
fraternal struggle. These men were all Americans — men whom we had once been 
proud to claim as countrymen — some of them natives of our own northern states. 
One poor fellow was shot through the bowels. The ground was soaked with his 
blood. I stooped and asked him if anything could be done to make him more 
comfortable ; he only whispered, "/'/» so cold !" He lingered for nearly an hour, 
in terrible agony. Another — young and just developing into vigorous manhood — 
had been shot through the head by a large minie ball. The skull was shockingly 
fractured; his brains were protruding fi-om the bullet hole and lay spread on the 
grass by his head. And he was still living! I knelt by his side and moistened 
his lips with water from my canteen, and an officer who came up a moment after- 
ward poured a few drops of brandy from his pocket flask into his mouth. God 
help us! what more could we do? A surgeon rapidly examined the wound, sadly 
shook his head, saying it were better for him if he were dead already, and passed 
on to the next. And there that poor Georgian lay, gasping in the untold and un- 
imaginable agonies of that fearful death, for more than an hour! 

Near him lay a Virginian, shot through the mouth, and already stiffening. He 
appeared to have been stooping when he was shot ; the ball struck the tip of his 
nose, cutting that off, cut his upper lip, knocked out his teeth, passed through the 
head and came out at the back of the neck. The expression of his ghastly face 
was awful beyond description. And near him lay another, with a ball through the 
right eye, which had passed out through the back of the head. The glassy eyes 
were all open; some seemed still i^asping with opened mouths; all were smeared 
in their own blood, and cold and clammy with the dews of death upon them. 

But why dwell on the sickening details? j\lay I never see anotlier field like 
that! All around the field lay men with wounds in the leg, or arm, or face, groan- 
ing with pain, and trembling lest the barbarous foes they expected to find in our 
troops, should commence mangling and torturing them at once. Words can hardly 
express their astonishment, when our men gently removed them to a little knoll, 
laid them all togetiier, and formed a circle of bayonets around them, to keep off 
the curious crowd, till they could be removed to the hospital, and cared for by our 
surgeons. 

There was a terrible moral in that group on the knoll, the dead, the dying, the 
wounded, protected by the very men that had been fighting and who were as 
read}' then as they had ever been to defend by their strong arms every right these 
self-made enemies of theirs had ever enjoyed. 

Every attention was shown the enemy's wounded, by our surgeons. Limbs were 
amputated, wounds were dressed with the same care with which our own brave 
volunteers were treated. Tlie wound on the battle field removed all differences — 
in the hospital all were alike, the objects of a common humanity that left none 
beyond its limits. 

Among the enemy's wounded was a young Massachusetts hoy, who had received 
a severe wound in the leg. He had been visiting in the South, and had been im- 
pressed into the ranks. As soon as the battle began, he broke from the rebel ranks 
and attempted to run down the hill, and cross over to our side. His own lieutenant 
saw him in the act, and shot him with a revolver! Listen to such a tale as that, 
as I did, by the side of the sad young sufferer, and tell me if your blood does not 
boil warmer than ever before, as you think, not of the poor deluded followers, but 
of the leaders, who, for personal ambition and personal spite, began this infernal 
rebellion." 

SoTne_ainusing anecdotes were related of this battle. 

Previous to the fight, before any shells had been thrown, a Georgian, who was 
behind a tree some distance from one of our men, called out to him, " What troops 
are you ?" One soldier, squinting around his tree, and seeing that there was no 
chance for a shot at his questioner, replied: "Ohio and Indiana volunteers." 



38 



IN WEST VIRGINIA. 



"Volunteers! ," exclaimed the Georgian, "you needn't tell me volunteers 

stand fire that way ! " The day's skirmish presented some instances of extraor- 
dinary daring. Perhaps the most astoundino; was that of a fellow who undertook 
to furnish the news to the rebels. One of Milroy's Swarnp Devils, (as the boya 
of the Ninth Indiana were called,) took a paper and deliberately walked up the 
road at the foot of the hill, on which the enemy were placed, till he got within 
convenient talking distance. Then asking them if they wouldn't like to have the 
news, and they having answered in the affirmative, he unfolded his paper and 
began, "Great battle at Manassas Gap; rebels completely routed; one thousand 
killed, ten thousand wounded, and nearly all the rest taken prisoners ; all traitors 
to be hung and their property confiscated ! " By this time the bullets bei^an to 
rain down upon him rather thickly, and he beat a rapid retreat to a convenient 
tree, carefully folding up his paper as he went, and shouting back that if they would 
come over to camp, he would give them the balance of the news ! " 

Another incident worth preserving is as follows : 

In one of the Indiana regiments was a Methodist preacher, said to be one of the 
very best shots in his regiment. During the battle, he was particularly conspic- 
uous for the zeal with which he kept up a constant fire. The 14th Ohio Regiment, 
in the thick of the fight, fired an average of eleven rounds to every man, but this 
parson managed to get in a great deal more than that average. lie fired carefully, 
with perfect coolness, and always after a steady aim, and the boys declare that 
every time, as he took down his gun, after firing he added, "And may the Lord 
have mercy on your soul." 

The loss in killed and wounded was slight. In the result, the enemy 
were for the time being driven from Northwestern Yirginia. The 
whole affair was a mere skirmish compared to an hundred later battles 
of the war, too inconsequential to be described in history. But it was 
the first decided union victory, and gave great eclat to Gen. McClellan, 
who, in the enthusiasm of the time, was in consequence transferred to 
the command of the army of the Potomac. A second JSTapolcon was 
supposed to have been found in the person of an ex-captain of U. S. 
engineers. 

The next engagement of importance was, the battle of Carnifex 
Ferry, which took, place on the 10th of September between the union 
forces under Gen. Eosecrans and the rebels under Gen. Floyd, ex-sec- 
retary of war. Floyd's position was a high intrenched camp on the 
summit of a mountain in the forest, on Gauley river, oj^posite the 
precise j^oint where the Meadow river fills into it. The intrench- 
ments extended about a mile and a half in his front, each end resting on 
the bank of the river, which here by its curving formed a kind of bow, 
while the intrenched line answered for the string. In the center of 
Floyd's line was an extensive earthen mound, supporting his main 
battery. The rest of his works were of fallen timber exclusively. 
The position could not well be flanked, and the only resource was to 
attack him in front. Floyd had six regiments and 16 pieces of artillery. 

On the last day of August, Gen. Eosecrans, moved from Clarksburg, 
to put himself at the head of his army, and resume active operations. 
His plan was to engage Floyd in the region of the Kanawha line. 
After much delay, the army moved from Birch river toward Summer- 
ville on the 9th. On the 10th he marched eighteen miles, to near the 
intrenched position of the enemy, in front of Carnifex Feny. At 
three o'clock in the afternoon he began the strong reconnoissance, 
termed the battle of Carnifex Ferry. This lasted until night came on, 
when the troops being exhausted, he drew them out of the woods and 



IN WEST VIRGINIA. 39 

posted them in line of battle, intending to storm the works in the 
morning. In the night Floyd having become alarmed at the streno-th 
of the attack upon him, silently fled, crossed the Gauloy and destroyed 
the bridge after him. Eosecraus took possession of the camp, captured 
a few prisoners, and some arms and some stores. The union loss was 
114; among the killed Avas the brave Col. Lowe. 

At the time Eosecrans was operating against Floyd, Gen. J. J. Eeyn- 
olds of Indiana, was stationed with his brigade at two fortified camps 
on Cheat Mountain, one called Cheat Summit, and the other Elkwater 
seven miles apart by a bridle path. The . oel General E. E Lee' 
desired to get into their rear into Tygart Vulley, and once there with 
a large force he would have advanced against Grafton and Clarksburg, 
the principal military depots in Northwestern Virginia. On the 12th 
mst. he marched up the Staunton pike, with about^OOOO men and from 
8 to 12 pieces of artillery. He made attempts for several successive 
days to take these works ; and was finally repulsed on the 15th. Amono- 
the rebels killed was Col. John A. Washington, proi^rietor of Mt. Ver*'- 
non. He was shot by a small scouting party while reconnoitering, 
and at the moment he and his escort had turned to flee, the latter 
galloping off" leaving their commander wounded and dying bv the road 
side. ^ & ^ 

"The party ran up to the wounded man, and found him partially raised upon one 
hand attempting to grasp his pistol. As they approached, the d>ing man smiled 
fointly, and said ''How are you boj/s ? give me some water." One of the party 
piaced his canteen to the soldier's lips, hat they were already cold in death. A 
htter was made, and the body carried to headquarters, when an examination of the 
person was made. Judge, if you can, of the surprise excited, when upon his 
clothing was found the name of John A. Washington! Four balls had passed 
through his body, two entering either lung and anyone inflicting a mortal wound. 
A flag of truce was sent the next morning to the rebels, oflerin"- to return the 
bodj', and all the colonel's effects. It was met bv Lieut. Col. Stark, of Louisiana who 
was coming to our camp to demand the body. When told that Colonel Washington 
was dead, Col. Stark was very deeply affected, and for some moments was unable 
to speak at all. He finally said, " Col. Washington's temeritv killed him; he was 
advised not to go where he did, but was on his first expedition, and extremely 
anxious to distinguish himself" Col. Washington was attached to the staff of 
General Lee, as engineer, from which it is judged Gen. Lee in person commands 
the forces in our front. What a sad commentarv Col. Washington's death affords us. 
His ilhi.stnous uncle, the founder of oar liberties, the greatleader in the war for 
our independence! The degenerate nephew, taken in arms, fighting a>'ainst the 
government his progenitor has called into being; losing his life in attempting to 
undo what that noble man had done ! To be shot in the back was a proper termi- 
nation to the career of a relative who in selling at an exorbitant price the jMount 
V ernon estate to a patriotic association of ladies, had speculated upon the bones 
of George Washington." 

_ Guyandotte a town of about 600 inhabitants, situated on the Yii-- 
ginia bank of the Ohio, at the mouth of the Guyandotte, twelve or 
fourteen miles above the Kentucky line, was the scene of tragic events 
on Sunday night and on Monday, :N'ovember 10th and 11th. The 
people were nearly all bitter secessionists. Col. Whaley was forming 
ther.e the ISTinth Virginia (union) regiment, and had with him on Sun- 
day about 120 of his own men, and 35 of Zeigler's 5th Virginia Cavalry. 
A little after sundown this small body was surprised by a force of several 
hundred cavalry under the notorious guerrilla chief Jenkins. The 



40 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

attack was entirely unex^^ected, and "Whaley's men were "taking it 
easy," some at church, some sauntering about, some asleep in their 
quarters, and only a camp guard out and no pickets. The men rallied 
and gathered in squads, sheltering themselves behind buildings and 
making the best fight possible, in which the gathering dai'kness in- 
creased their chances for escape. The rebels pursued the squads, 
charging upon them around the corners, running down individuals, . 
killing some, wounding others, and taking prisoners. After the fight 
was over, they hunted many from places of concealment. As our men 
fought from sheltering positions, and the enemy wore in the open 
streets, the loss was supposed to be nearly equal in killed and wounded, 
— from 40 to 50 each. The enemy captured some seventy prisoners. 

The attack was accompanied by acts of savasje barbarity. Some of the fleeing 
soldiers in attempting to cross the bridge over tlie Guyandotte, were shot, and those 
only wounded, while begging for their lives were thrown into the river to be 
drowned. Others were dragged from their hiding places in the town and mur- 
dered. Some poor fellows who had taken to the river were killed as they were 
swimming, or when they had crawled out on the other bank. One John S. Gar- 
nett, who hid on that side was busy at tliis bloody business. A witness testified 

that he heard them shout across "John! IIo! John Garnett, shoot them devils 

coming out of the water there," and two guns went off. "There is another just 

behind the tree." "Oh! I have sunk that Yankee.'' Soon another shot and 

a yell, "I've got one of tlie -dad's scalps and a first rate Enfield rifle." 

Early the next morning, the rebels fearing pursuit, left the town* 
carrying oif with them as prisoners some of the union citizens, having 
first taken and destroyed their goods. When they left, twenty one 
secession women all with their secession aprons on, paraded and cheered 
the visitors. Col. Zeigler with a few union troops immediately landed 
from a steamer, arrested ten of the leading citizens as prisoners. As 
the people had fired on the trooj^s from their dwellings, the soldiers 
set fire to tlie houses of tlie rebels, which communicating to the others, 
from one half to two thirds of all the buildings in the place wore 
burnt. 

The guei'rilla war in West Virginia was marked with many horrible 
atrocities and thrilling adveutui-es. There was scarcely a county 
which did not contain more or less secessionists who degenerated into 
assassins. They shot down in cold blood their neighbors in open day, 
and at night stealthily burnt their dwellings. Hundreds of these 
villains were arrested, but for want of positive evidence discharged 
on taking the oath of allegiance : when they again renewed their acts 
of savage barbarity. So little was this sacred obligation observed, so 
venomous did they remain, that it had its proper illustration in the 
popular anecdote of the time, told of a union soldier who had caught 
a rattlesnake; and asked his companion "what should he do with him?" 
^^ Swear him and let. him r/o," was the instant response. A writer of 
the time well illustrates the fiend-like spirit that was rife in these par- 
agraphs. 

A thrilling incident of the war occurred today, within two miles of Parkers- 
burg. There lives in that vicinity a farmer named Smotherton. He is of the 
gemis termed "white trash" by the contrabands; a renting farmer, who lives from 
hand to mouth, ignorant, quarrelsome and reckless. He has quite a family. 
Smotherton is a secessionist, a very bitter one, and he has imbued the idea and 
its spirit into all his family, from his wife down to his youngest child. The sue- 



IN WEST VIRGINIA. 42 

cess of the federal arms has only served to embitter and enrage him, and time and 
again he has threatened to poison the ^yater which supplies the camp at this place, 
to destroy by tire the property of his union neighbors, kill their cattle and muti- 
late their horses. 

For several months he has done little else than make threats of this character. 
His wife was as bad with her tongue as he was, and even his children have been 
taught to hate and curse those who were for the uniou. Smotherton beinii; in- 
formed that he would be driven from the neighborhood if ho did not improve his 
conduct, replied that he would not leave until he had destroyed the property and 
shed the bh)od of some of the union men. "They can't hurt mc for it," he con- 
tinued, " kase the war's commenced, an' there haint no law." That seemed to be 
his firm belief 

To-day two sons of Smotherton, the oldest not yet thirteen years of age, was out 
in the woods with a rifle. They came across another lad, named King, about the 
same age, whose family is for the union, and reside in the s;ime neighborhood. 
The young Smothertons, following the example of their father, immediately 
called liiui to account. Young King stood up for the union, which so enraged the 
other two boys that they threatened to shoot him. Young King then boldly 
straiglitened himself up and shouted, "Hurrah for the union." The oldest of the 
Smotherton boys — not yet thirteen years old, remember — deliberately raised his 
rifle, fired, and gave young King a mortal wound. To-night it is said he can not 
survive until morning. 

As soon as the affair became known, a file of soldiers were dispatched from town 
to Smotherton's hut, which they surrounded, and, vrithout resistance, took the old 
man, his sons and two or three others prisoners. I need not say that the soldiers 
«rere disappointed in not meeting resistance, for they did not want to bring in any 
prisoners. The party was marched to town surrounded by bayonets, and com- 
■ raitted to prison, to await examination before the military authorities to-morrow. 
An indignant crowd followed them, and many voluntarily stepped forward as 
witnesses. An intelligent country girl said that she heard the boy Smotherton 
declare, several days ago, that he would shoot the boy King if he did not stop 
hurraing for the union, for he (Smotherton) was a secessionist, and he wasn't 
agoing to stand it. 

Just such people you will find all over "Western Virginia, and as their cause 
sinks they become more desperate, and endeavor to support it by blood and crime. 
Until they are treated and dealt with as traitors, the war in Western Virginia, 
will not approximate a close. Our troops curse the policy that has heretofore 
governed the military authorities, and now they take no prisoners whenever they 
can avoid it. 

Retalliation, as above stated, at last became the common rule. The 
union scouts learned to take no prisoners. One of the best pictures 
■which gives the lights and shadows of this border war, is drawn by 
a writer in the first year of the struggle, an union soldier from the 
New England settlement of Ccredo. He saj'S : 

In February 1861, nine others and myself were threatened with expulsion from 
the "sacred soil" of the Old Dominion for voting for Lincoln: all residents of 
Ccredo. In May the war against us raged fiercer, and some of the marked ones 
left for fear of violence. Some of my neighbors could not leave if they would, and 
my courageous wife agreed with me that it was better to stay, for we might by 
that course do more for the good cause than in any other way. 

In June and July the excitement was all the time increasing, and by the mid- 
dle of the latter month it was publicly stated that the "Lincolnites" of Ceredo 
must leave, and notices to that effect were sent to us. "We sent back word to 
them to " come on," we were prepared for them (but we were not though), and 
defied them. 

For several weeks in the middle of Summer we watched every night for the 
Coming of the indignant secessionists. They looked for ue to submit and take the 
oath of allegiance to the Southern Confederacy, or leave. It was during this time 



42 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

of fearful peril — for we had sworn to stand by each other and resist to the death 
if necessary — that everythini:; else was forjjottcn. All business was al)andoned. 
The farmers who had been influenced by our position and action, left their crops 
and joined us in consultation and watch. They were made to understand thai 
they were risking all their pi'operty and their lives, and perhaps the lives of their 
families, by joining us. But they pledged themselves willing to make the sacrifice, 
if need be, for the sake of the union. Our fears were reasonably increased by 
the treatment of union men in the adjoining counties, and we did not hope for 
mercy. The enemy outnumbered us who would fight more than three to one; 
yet our bold stand and defiant declarations kept them back. For many nights my 
wife did not retire to rest with any certainty that she would not be a^-ouscd before 
morning by the torch and bullet of the rebel guerrillas, now organized in three 
different places in our own county, and in large numbers in the next and nearest 
county above us. A little band of twenty-five, and sometimes thirty or more, 
when our country neighbors came in, stood on guard through many summer 
nights, with such arms as we could pick up, waitinii; to resist the attack of three 
hundred or more; but I have no doubt we should have made a desperate resist- 
ance. We had become so exasperated by the infamous threats of the rebels, and 
so incensed at their conduct toward union men up the country, that we all felt 
that it was our solemn duty to resist. 

Then began the organization of a regiment. One of the old residents was urged 
to take the lead in this; we New Englanders pledged ourselves to sustain him. 
It was a fearful undertaking, but we had the riiiht kind of a man to leal oS", and 
it was successful. The rebels were of course indignant that we should attempt to 
have a military force in the "abolition" village of Ceredo. 

It has been one continued whirl of bustle, and excitement and panic. It seems 
as though yeai's ought to embrace the crowded events of the past few months. In 
fjicfc, it does seem years since last June. I remember a few scenes, a few days, 
and the balance is one confused jumble of stirring incidents, panics, fearful and 
energetic struggles to calm the popular feeling, painful and tedious night Avatch- 
ings. long rides for reconnoiterino;, anxious consultations, and frequent renewal 
of pledges. It makes me shudder to think of the danger we escaped. I can 
hardly realize that we did pass through all and are yet safe, and that the dear 
ones at home were permitted to remain there, when danger passed so near, — and 
particularly since we have learned what nefarious plots were concocted for our 
destruction. 

While the recruiting was coing on we were all the time in danger, and before 
the regiment was half full we had men out constantly on the scout, either to hunt 
rebels among the hills, or to guard union mens property away from our camp. 
While our men were taking prisoners and running the scamps from hill to hiding- 
place, the union men in Cabell county were rode over rough-shod. Every one 
who had a shotgun or rifle, or a grain of powder, was robbed. The robbers also 
took beef and corn, and the union men inthat county said not a word, for fear of 
faring worse. The few who dared to say anything were driven away or killed. 
Two others were shot, but recovered, and are now in the union army. One Avho 
had always maintained the right of a Virginian, clinging to the old government, 
was called to his door one morning by some of Jenkins' cowardly crew, and shot 
dead — four of the assassins shooting at once. In our county, young men, who 
were out of the reach of our protection were forced into the rebel army.- I can 
not describe with what a high hand many outrages were perpetrated — how heart- 
less and cruel, and with how little sense of honor, these "chivalrous southrons" 
committed numerous wrontis upon lovalists, upon their riirhts, liberty and prop- 
erty. However, every prominent secessionist in our county has been killed or 
taken prisoner. This is some consolation, though it does not compensate for the 
suffering of the loyal men. 

I entered the army as a private, determined to be useful. I was put where it 
■was thought I could be of most use, and have been constantly and ceaselessly en- 
gaged. My duties have not prevented my making some observations of the 
character and the moral effect of our enterprise. 




AVERILL'S RAirX 



IN WEST VIRGINIA. 45 

How curiously — to me it seems — has this matter operated. The northerner and 
Virginian, it appeared, never could affiliate. They never did. It was plain that 
a Yankee never would be respected by the VirL;;inian ; from the most ignorant to 
the most cultivated, there was the same inborn prejudice. If common courtesy 
and the studied politeness of the educated man ( V^irginian) led him into souiable- 
ness and cordiality of friendly intercourse for a time, he would all at once assume 
a coldness as though he had forgot himself and done wrong. Among the ignorant 
it was still more unpleasant; but now ail is changed, 'i'ney now seem to think 
we are of one nation — we are all brothers — we should all be united — we should 
help each other— ^we should not remember that one was from a free state, and an- 
other was born in a slave state. This is of the union men. The secessionists hate 
us more, if possible, and hate their neighbors who have joined us still worse. 
Nothing else, it appears to me could ever have destroyed this prejudice. And to 
us, Avho have seen this inveterate prejudice, this appears strange. Is it love of 
counti'y, or is it the danger? Who can tell ? 

I have witnessed many scenes in this brief time which I had never expected to 
see — altogether a great deal of the worst of the "horrors of war," and mingled 
with the soldiers Avho are roughest and hardest, and heard their talk and their 
nonsense. Instead of feeling as though I had been hardened, or had become 
Gallons to the suffering of men and the cruelties of war, it seems as though the 
best feelings were sharpened. I know men who never before appeared to have 
any real and natural love for their families, manifest the best and most encourag- 
ing aspects of fraternal affection — the most delicate and tender love for friends and 
families — since this war commenced. Men, unconscious of the best feelings of 
cultivated natures, manifest that tender and affectionate regard for their wives 
which we e.xpect to see only among the most enlightened and harmonious fiimi- 
lies. Many of the natives are rough and uncultivated. The war does them 
good! So it seems to me. Tliis is my question: why is it? How would you ex- 
plain it? How is it possible that civil war, where there is so much of awful trag- 
edy, and wherein neighbor will shoot neighbor, to say nothing of the lesser 
wrongs and outrages, will improve men generally ? While they talk so glibly of 
this one and that one of their acquaintance who are rebels, as deserving to be shot, 
they seem to be progressing in other respects. They become less selfish, more 
confiding, more generous, more considerate, and better men, I think, altogether. 
And this while we have not the best discipline in our regiment, and there is none 
too little whisky in camp. Is it love for country? Is it that the union is in 
danger, or that their families are in danger? Would this last produce such an 
effect? Or is it that the love for country is such a great and noble virtue that it 
increases other good qualities in men f Yes, this is it, it can be nothing else. 

The bitter contempt and hate with which the union men were held 
throughout the south at the outbreak of the rebellion, found fall ex- 
pression in their secession papers : of which the following extract pub- 
lished in the Jeffersonian at Barboursville, West Yirgiuia, in May 1861, 
is a fair specimen : 

Capt. Roger's company of volunteers are making active preparations for service. 
They are a fine body of men, as true as steel, and fighting in the cause of liberty, 
every single man of them is equal to a dozen of the base hirelings with whom they 
have to contend. In the hour of battle, we doubt not but what each man will 
prove himself a Spartan. 

Should old Lincoln grow so in'^ane as to send 100,000 of his box-ankled 
Yankees up through this part of Virginia, our mountain boys will give them a 
wai-m reception, and will be sure to save ennvgh Yankee shin bones to make husk- 
ing pegs icith ichich to husk all our corn for a hundred years. 

A few months of actual experience dispelled some of those pleasant 
delusions in regai'd to the cowardice of union men. As the rebels were 
soon driven by our brave volunteers from their various enmps at Phil- 
ippi, Laurel Hill, Cheat Mountain, Gauley river and other points, they 



46 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

left behind in their panic hurry, bushels of private letters. These 
revelations of the inner life of the rebellion, are important contributions 
to the history of the times. They illustrate the ideas that prevailed 
among- the poor whites of the South, their ferocity against the people 
of the free states; and an ignorance so px'ofound as to show how readily 
they became the willing instruments in the hands of their aristocracy, 
to perpetuate and increase their own degradation. The most amusing 
of these were the love letters of which the camps were full. Some of 
the tender documents could not be exceeded in ferocity of spirit by the 
cannibals of Fejee. Mingled with good religious advice to husbands 
by wives to trust in the Lord and offer up continued prayers for his 
guidance, are blended requests to kill every Yankee they met, and 
bring the scalps home as trophies of the war. Little children also 
write to their papa's for union scalps, and tender swains and love 
stricken maidens all appear to revel in visions of blood. We open 
with one of this description. 

Sewel ]\Iountaix October 3d 1861. 

Dear Maiss Sarah margret Waup I send j^ou m\'^ best love and respects to you. 
I am well at this present time in hopinsi; these few lines will find you in the same 
helth and in the Same mind as you was when I gote the last letter. My love is 
round as a ring that has no end and so is my to you. I waunt you not to foregit 
mea and pick up eny of the Raleigh boys fore I am goun to Sleep in youres arms 
if I live and the dam yankee devels dont kill mea. I still lives in hopes tiie devels 
Cant kill mea, 1 hope that we will .Tine handes again. I waunt you to never have 
eny thing to Saye to the Raleish boyes they are all purty mutch unean [union] 
mean I understand and that is a poore Cuntry I no. I have got youres lik- 
ness yet and kiss hit evry Day bites no ende that howe I lov you. I think of you 
when I am marced into the hattle feal. I waunt you to ware the Seccions war 
riben a white peas of cloth around your wast; the unean [union] lades wars the 
black beltes around their wast * * 

[The writer indulges in some thorough going profanity in reference to " Linken," 
and expresses a few uncharitable wishes respecting his future.] 
* * mair margret I would like to see you So we Could laff and talk all about old 
times. My pen bade my ink is no count and I bant have but 8 minets to rite to 
you and 1 have to rito hit on my lapt. Pleas exkoose mea I have rote 6 letteres 
and reserved 3 from you and the hole of them thare was mise rote this you see 
rember mea if this not except please exkooss mea and burn hitup 

Sarah margret Waup 

JAMES BOLTOK 

From another letter found in Laurel Hill camp we take two lines. 

"i sa agen deer Melindy weer fitin for our liburtis to dew gest as we pleas, and 
we will fite fur them so long as GODDLEMITY givs us breth." 

Here are two letters from loving maidens. The first according to 
her own revelations had been some time "on the market." 

Mr. , Dear Sir: I take the pleasure in writing you a few lines to-night. 

And to answer the kind & excepted note. We are all well at present. I think 
that good health & company is all that one should wish for. I know that I am 
contented when I am in your good company, that I love to be in so much. But 
I hope the kind Providence will soon permit us to be to gather soon. 1 wished 
that all of those Yankees heads icas shot ojf and piled up. Beck has formed a 
good opinion of you. But I think that 1 like you the best. She said that she 
•wished that she was married. She says that she wants me to put the holtar on 
first. There is no man here I care anything about now. I was once 12 years 
engaged, but am free now. There was a certain person told me to keep myself 
free from all engagements for him, but did not answer, and that was the last. I 



IN WEST VIRGINIA. 47 

dreamt about you last night 1 thought I heard you talking to papa. I tell you 
1 almost was under John's control, but it may be for the best yet. If things had 
of went on, 1 would of been married, some time ago. These are times to try 
persons faith and feelings. 1 think every one should be candid. I know that you 
loye me. That love can be returned. I am in for anything that you say, «fec., &C/ 

Wyths vill VA August 17th 1861 
Dear sub — it is with grate plesur for me to ancer yore letter I was glad to think 
that you thougt that much of me amany A time I think of you all and wod like to 
see you all but I think that it will be A longe time be fore i will see you all but I 
hoape that it will not be so longe you sade that you had that arboviter that me and 
sue give you and that likeness that miss sue Pattison had of yores she has got it 
yet. She sase that she is A goante to kepe it. The times air loancem hear know 
sence you all lefte hear. II tell you that campe Jacksom lokes loancem know. I 
havente northen much to rite to you at this time but I hoape that I will have nore 
to rite to you. The nexte tine that you rite if that ever will be but 1 hoap that 
you will not forgit to rite. 1 woante you to excuse me for not hav ritten sooner 
but I havent not had the chance but 1 tride mity harde to ancer it sooner but I 
cudeut. 1 hearde this morninge that you all was a goanto leave thair and I thaute 
that 1 wod ancer it this eaven. I woante you to tell mr yomce to rite to me. 
Ancer this as soon as you git this. I have northen more to sa at the present time 
but excuse bad riten and spellinge. Dearest frende 

Miss Mary D McA 

Here is a third maidenly letter found at Cariiifex Feriy after Floj^d's 
flight by some of Eosecrans' soldiers. It was.in a highly scented white 
envelope, and was evidently addressed to one of the secession chaplains, 
that "Genuine itinerant Methodist minister." Miss Becky repels the 
base charge that she is given to tobacco chewing. 

Rev. Wm. H. Dear, in high esteem your very welcom letters arrived in 

due time, which were pleastant visitant, it was truely gratifying to hear of the 
abundance of good things you are blessed with in N. Carolina. I recon Egypt 
will certainly divide with Canaan. 

Well Parson J suppose you are in the Dominion state this year among polished 
characters. I don't know how you can think of the plain people in Fentress 
Tennessee. 

I would just say as it regard my useing tobacco it is altogether a false suppo- 
sition. 1 protest the use of tobacco in every shape and form, so enough on that 

subject. Dear I appreciate you as a genuine Itinerant Methodist minister 

and will take pleasure in any writen correspondence with you. There have been 
revivals on this mission since you left. 

We expect Parson at his appointment. 

Well Dearest ■ we are many miles apart Oh! the deep between us roll the 

rough Hills which intervene between you & I. yet all things are possible in the 
sight of the Lord. IMay the good Lord bless thee my dearest I hope you will find 
friendes that will treat you kindly. Oh ! that this may be a glorious Conference 
year. You are still remembered by Rebecca. 

Things are going on smoothly. 

Mary is primping and fixing herself looking for her beaugh. Dear me ! Clear 
the wa}'', move the chairs, & make room. Well Parson, I must now close by solic- 
iting your prayers in my behalf. Respond to this the first opportunity. 

Fare-well this time Rebecca 

Oh ! I remember how you looked 
Remember well your silvery Tone 
And placid smile of sweetest lore 
Though Many hour.s have rapid flown. 

Poetical effusions in great quantities were found "to fire the Southern 
heart." This one is a fair specimen. . It was obtained at Camp Gauley, 
among the official papers of the adjutant of a Virginia regiment : 



48 TIMES OP TUE REBELLION 

Come all you brave Virginia boys if bonor scase your Soards brave boys 
AVith hearts both stout and true And Muskets not A few 

Come let us go down to the mason line Come lets go down to the Battle ground 
And Whip the Nothern crue And Whip the Notbern crue 

Old lincola is there president Fight on Brave Boys with out a doubt 

That evry body knows On til you gain the Field 

And he was elected by the Vote The god of Battle he is stout 

Of men as black as Crows He will caus our foas to yeald 

A Malgamation is tber theme Our Wives and sweet hearts 

And that will never do . tell us go and fight Just like A man 

Come lets go down to the Battle ground And keep the nothern negro crue 

And Whip the Nothern Crue off of Virginue land 

Be brave and Bold you Valiant boys if luckey is our doom Brave Boys 
and keep your Armors Bright in old Abe lincoln hall 

For Sothcrn Boys Wonts nothing else On our nsxt Independent day 
But Just the things that Right We will Take a Sothern Ball 

God made the peopl Black and white and when we come safe home Again 

he made the red man to Our wives and sweet harts to 

And for to mis up is not Right We they will weloom us from Washington 

lets Whip the Negro crue for they have nothing elce to do 

August the 14 1861. 

The war in West Yirginia was confined to small battles, skirmishes, 
and conflicts with guerrillas. One of the most important of the bat- 
tles, in its consequences, in the latter part of the war, was that of 
Droop Mountain, in the Greenbrier country, Nov. 6, 1863. In this at- 
tion, the rebels were attacked in their works on the summit of the 
mountain by Gren. Averill, and routed with a loss of 400 men. 

The guerrilla leaders, Jenkins and Imboden, were, for a time, active 
and enterprising, and the union troops were kept busy under Cox, 
Scammon, Crook, Averill, Kelly, and other union officers, Avhose terror- 
inspiring raids, and the liardshii3S endured by those who took part in 
them, will show hoAV noble a part was played in the great drama of 
the present age by the union-loving sons of West Virginia. 

The most noted of all the raids was that of Averill in the winter of 
1863-4. The object of the expedition, which was planned by Clen. 
Kelly, was to cut the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, and so sever 
the communication between Lee, in Virginia, and Longstreet, in Ten- 
nessee. 

Several feigned movements were made in order to mislead the enemy, which 
were successful. The command of the. real expedition was given to General 
Averill. On the 8th of December, he started from New Creek, near the Mary- 
land border, with four mounted re<i;iments and a battery, marching almost due 
south, which brought him almost directly between the confedei-ate armies in Vir- 
ginia and Tennessee. On the 16th, he struck the line of the railroad at Salem, 
and begun the work of destruction. The telegraphic wire was cut, three depots, 
with a large amount of stores, destroyed, and the track torn up, bridges and cul- 
verts destroyed for a space of 15 miles ; this was the work of a few hours. The 
enemy in the meantime had learned of his position and operations, and sent out 
six separate commands, under their ablest generals, to intercept him on his re- 
turn. They took possession of every road through the mountains which was 
thought passable. One road, which crossed the tops of the AUeghanies, and was 
thought impracticable, remained. By this, Averill made his escape, carrying off 
all his material, with the exception of four caissons, which were burned in order 
to increase the teams of the pieces. His entire loss in this raid was 6 men 
drowned in crossing a river, 4 wounded, and about 90 missing. He captured 
about 200 prisoners, but released all but 81, on account of their inability to walk. 
In his report, General Averill says, " My march was retarded, occasionally, by the 



IN WEST VIRGINIA. • 49 

tempest in the icy mountains, and the icy roads. I wag obliged to swim my com- 
mand, and drag my artillery with ropes, across Grog's creek seven times in twenty- 
four hours. jMy horses have subsisted entirely upon a very poor country, and the 
officers and men have suifered cold, hunger, and fatigue with remarkable fortitude. 
My command has marched, climbed, slid, and swam three hundred and fifti/Jioe 
miles in fourteen days." 

What must have been the sufferings on such a march, from cold, 
fatigue, and hunger, in the depths of winter, in that dreaiy, inliospi- 
table, mountain wilderness, surrounded by lierce, deadly enemies, 
thirsting for blood ! Writes one : 

The nights were bitter. It rained, snowed, and hailed. Imagine the gathering 
of clouds, the twilight approaching, the wearied soldier and foot-sore horse climb- 
ing and scraping up the steep mountain roads ; then the descending of the storm, 
the water freezing as it touched the ground, the line winding its Ava}' up one side 
and down another, entering passages tliat seemed to be the terminus of these 
mountainous creations, and then emerging upon open lands but to feel the fury 
of the storm the more severe, and he can form but a mere idea of what was the 
scene on this trying occasion. 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE REBELLION 

IN 

IIN'DI ANA. 



Indiana has been most prominent in her endeavors to preserve the 
integrity of the union, the proof of this is found in the fact that up 
to January 1, 1865, she had furnished 165,314 men for the suppression 
of the rebellion. 

A stigma of cowardice cast upon Indiana troops by Jeff. Davis dur- 
ing the Mexican war, has been effectually avenged by their conduct 
on many a bloody field. More than one regiment on departing from 
the state capital for the seat of war, on bended knees, with unbared 
heads and raised hands, took an oath to "Eemember Buena Vista." 
How that vow was kept was learned in sorrow wherever the enemies 
of the union met the heroic men of Indiana. Her patriotic and ener- 
getic governor thus truly speaks of them : 

"It affords me great gratification to state that the Indiana ofiicers, 
as a body, have been found equal to those of any other state; that 
they have, upon every battle-field, nobly sustained the great cause, 
and shed luster upon the flag under which they fought. Many have 
been appointed to high commands, in which they acquitted themselves 
with the greatest honor and ability, and very many have nobly laid 
down their lives in battle for their country. Our private soldiers 
have behaved with uniform and distinguished gallantry in every ac- 
tion in which they have been engaged. They form a part of every 
army in the field, and have been among the foremost in deeds of dar- 
ing, while their blood has hallowed every soil. Hitherto engaged in 
the i^eaceful pursuits of trade and. agriculture, they have manifested 
that loft}- courage and high-toned chivalry of which others have talked 
BO much and possessed so little, and which belongs only to the intelli- 
gent patriot who understands well the sacred cause in which he draws 
his sword. Thousands have fallen the victims of an unnatural rebel- 
lion. They were fighting from deep convictions of duty and the love 
they bore their country. Their unlettered graves mark an hundred 
battle-fields, and our country can never discharge to their memory 
and their posterity the debt of gratitude it owes. That gratitude 
should be testified by the tender care we take of their fiimiiies and 

51 



52 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

dependent ones whom they have left behind, and by the education of 
theii' children." 

Much that he praises was the result of his own exertions, for rarely 
has any man possessed the power to infuse so much of his own sjjirit 
into the loyal masses as Oliver P. Morton, "the soldiers' friend; " 
and not only the men of his own state, but, as has been said, all the 
loyal men of the country owe him a debt of gratitude. " His oratorical 
labors during the war were grandly faithful and eflFective. The splendid 
canvass he made in the fall of 1864 was a fitting climax to an admin- 
istration distinguished above that of all other governors for its suc- 
cess as well as arduousness. With a legislature against him of the 
most factious and disloyal character, which did its vitmost to bind his 
hands, with a most formidable organization of traitors in his midst, 
all the while plotting insurrection, with a party opposition of un- 
equaled virulence, he has yet kej^t Indiana the very foremost of all 
the western states — we may in truth say of all the states — in filling 
its quotas and meeting every call of the government. His peculiar 
success has been owing to great executive abilities, combined with a 
public devotion, whith not only nerved him to tireless endeavor, but 
which elevated him above all j)ersonal jealousies and challenged uni- 
versal respect." 

The prompt aid rendered by him when Kirby Smith threatened 
Cincinnati was acknowledged by the action of the city council, in jJi'O- 
curing his portrait to adorn their place of meeting. It was by the 
well-known poet-painter, T. B. Eead, who, in a public address, de- 
livered in Indianapolis, thus stated the origin of the order for the 
picture he had made. 

When the rebels advanced through Kentucky, crushing with overwhelming 
might our gallant but undisciplined forces, at Richmond, and the border waa 
threatened — Cincinnati exposed to pillage — the fair fields of the north open to 
ravage and robbery — Governor Morton, at the call of the distressed neighbors of 
Ohio^ poured over a flood of the heroic men who have since won honor on every 
line of latitude north of the Gulf, helped to check the rebel advance, supplied 
ammunition, no where else to be procured, and saved the northwest, and Cincin- 
nati especially, from the horrors of sack, rapine, robbery and flames. For this 
timely service, the city council of Cincinnati unanimously resolved to do him such 
honor as they could by placing his portrait in their hall, as the embodiment of 
the patriotism and neighborly love of Indiana, and as a precious heirloom to pos- 
terity, and paid me the compliment (perhaps unwisely) of selecting me to paint 
it. Thus called to your city, 1 can not forbear some further allusion to one whose 
services and honors constitute her proudest boast — and not her alone, but your 
state ; and whose efforts, rising always to the level of any emergency, directed 
by a sagacity never dimmed by clouds of failure or fear, will yet make him, as 
his glory, widening and deepening, as it moves on toward the future, the equal 
pi-ide of our whole country. 

morgan's invasion of INDIANA. 

On the 7th of July, 1863, the steamer J. T. McCombs landed at 
Brandenburg, Kentucky, just as Morgan's advance-guard entered the 
town. They seized the boat, robbed the passengers, and then taking 
her into the middle of the river, cast anchor, and by the stratagem of 
hoisting a signal of distress, succeeded in capturing the Alice Dean, 
which was then passing up the river. By means of these vessels, 
Morgan transported his army to the Indiana side, and immediately be- 




Volunteers of Indiana, at the State Capitol, on their departure for the War^ 
swearing to ** Remember Buena Vista,^^ 



IN INDIANA. 55 

gan his work of plunder and ruin. When the report reached the cap- 
ital, that Morgan with- 6,000 men had entered the state, the governor 
called on the citizens to turn out for its defense; and within forty- 
eight hours 65,000 men had tendered their services to drive the inva- 
der from the soil. The correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial 
thiis tells what he saw and heard in the hoosier state, during this ex- 
citing pei'iod. 

Journeyini: down the Ohio and Mississippi road last Friday evening, we had 
barely cleared the border of Ohio when we observed knots of rustic men, arDied 
with shot-guns or squirrel-rifles, climbing about the train. Many were mere strip- 
lings, wearing on their hands and cheeks the sun's livery; many were old men, 
whose features wore the bronze of half a century of harvests. They did not 
know where to stop. The conductor would not tell them. At each station this 
scene would be repeated; and it must be remembered that the regular militia- 
trains had all day been drumming recruits together and bearing them to strate- 
gical points. The squads of whom we write had walked many weary miles from 
the interior, with no other solicitation than a vague knowledge of the exigency. 
The rebels were in Indiana somewhere; that brought down the battered old fowl- 
ing pieces. 

At Seymour, on Friday evening, some 2,500 militia were assembled, and in com- 
mand of General Love. An artillery company from Aurora, with two 6-pounders, 
was present. This place was really threatened on that evening, ^Morgan having 
taken a northeasterly road from Halem in the afternoon. It has since been ascer- 
tained that he arrived at the two very important stru ;tures on the Ohio and Mis- 
sissippi railroad, over White river, but the hardy farmers among the knobs in 
that vicinity obstructed the roads so thoroughly, by fallen timber, that the de- 
tachment sent for the purpose, lost its way, and barely managed to return to the 
main body. All trains were halted at Seymour that night. Morgan was known 
to be moving in the southwest angle formed by the junction of the JefFersonville 
and the Ohio and Mississippi railroads, and was certain to strike one or the other 
before morning. The blow fell on the formei", lightly. 

At daybreak, our train was ordered to proceed cautiously westward. The en- 
gine prowled stealthily over the dew-drenched rails, with its great, dazzling eye 
darting into the gray obscurity of morning — a reconnoitering automaton, fearless 
of ambuscade. The bridges were safe. We taxed the raiders with lack of enter- 
prise, while we rejoiced at the preservation of a vital spot in western railroad 
economy. 

At [Mitchell, the militia were assembled some 2,000 strong. Washington county 
was represented by a full regiment, and contiguous counties in proportion. Here 
we saw several companies sworn to national allegiance and obedience to superior 
officers. It was an impressive sight. They stood with heads bared and hands 
uplifted at awkward angles, but with an appearance of feeling a sacred sincerity. 
The youngsters went through the ceremony with diffident graveness ; but in some 
of the old grandsires' eyes we caught the proud flash of souls which had hurled 
defiance at Indian and iBritton, and having grandly protected the flag through the 
weakness of infancy, were not willing to have it go down, and least of all in the 
valleys that their pioneer hands had opened and enriched. We noticed among 
the militia at all points, a large number clad either wholly or partly in federal 
uniform ; many, indeed, had full accoutrements. These were the discharged and 
resigned of our regular armies. A practiced eye could have told this without the 
aid of their clothes and equipments. They carried their guns on the shoulder, at 
the precise angle which the old soldier falls into after trying all others. It swings 
lightly witii his motions, and perches there jauntily after long marches. Some of 
the ex-privates were captains now; all were subjects of numberless inquiries, 
and, between drilling and teaching the neophytes how to harness themselves, 
their time was completely occupied. 

It became evident that there would be no fighting at Mitchell. Having the 
newspaperial Sunday (which is also the Israelite day of rest) before us, we con 

4 



56 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

eluded that a visit to Salem, the scene of rebel pillage on the preceding day, ■n'ould 
afford a point d'appui for a little effective correspondence. AVe soon found a 
construction train bound for the first burnt bridge on the New Albany and Chi- 
cago road, and were permitted to accompany it. 

Balem is the county seat of Washington, some fort}' miles north of New Al- 
bany. It is not an attractive town in appearance, though having the marks of 
thrift and enterprise. Morgan entered it on Friday, at ten o'clock, a. m., having 
moved rapidly from his landing-place opposite Brandenburg by obscure roads. 
Col. ITeffren, a resident of the town and its leading political spirit, heard of his 
approach in time to partially organize some three or four hundred horsemen, just 
in time to find the guerrillas in range with artillery planted. The militia force 
was but partially armed, and it was forced to comply with the demand to surrender. 
A number skedaddled during the parley, but the majority were turned over by 
Colonel Heffren to Morgan, who paroled and released them. The rebel forces en- 
tered the town in fine order, and a sort of half organized system of pillage in- 
dulged in forthwith. Clothing stores were robbed, and the rebels replaced their 
tatters with their contents, making the transfer shamelessly in the open streets. 
Whatever struck the fancy of a rebel, found a speedy route to his possession. 
The depot, a roomy and substantial brick edifice, was fired and consumed, with a 
fine, new passenger car and four box cars. The flames spread to an adjoining 
livery stable, but Morgan ordered out a strong detachment, with buckets, and had 
it extinguished. From Wash. Depaw, and Knight, and Smith, he demanded .$1,(100 
each, threatening to destroy their mills if the requisition was not filled. The 
money was paid and formally receipted. 

A squad destroyed five small bridges, burned two fine water tanks, and burned 
all cattle guards and drains for eight miles on the railroad. A train barely 
escaped capture, but finally did so by dint of hard running to the rear. The en- 
gineer assured us, that the rebels rode magnificently, and leaped over the highest 
fences without hesitation. This is about all the visible damage done the town, 
though the losses of the merchants must be considerable. A well-to-do farmer, 
named John Wyble, residing near Livonia, in Washington county, was ordered 
to halt, while riding away from town, but, being hard of hearing, he did not obey. 
He was shot down and killed instantly. Another, named Puthoff, was shot for 
breaking his gun, but will probably recover. A man named Vance was also se- 
riously wounded. 

During the halt in the town, Morgan sat in front of the leading hotel, with feet 
cocked in the air, smoking expensive cheroots. Colonel Heffren conversed with 
him, and told the rebel that he would find the state ready for him. Morgan said 

he didn't care a ; he had marked out his route and would pursue it; to that 

end would fight everything that come in his way. 

Attached to the rebel band, were about one hundred negroes who acted as 
waiters. Morgan's black waiter rode immediately in the rear of the staff. One 
of the darkies seemed to be in high favor v.ith the entire command. This negro, 
about noon, procured a national flag, tied it to a mule's tail and rode through the 
streets at a break-neck pace, swearing at the yellow, lantern-jawed Yankees, as 
he termed them, whenever he came near a citizen. The negroes were all exceed- 
'ingly impertinent, and this trait seemed to confer infinite pleasure on their mas- 
ters. 

At four o'clock p. M. they left the town, taking one of the roads to the north- 
ward. They had demanded and received the choicest food, and had almost en- 
tirely re-uniformed themselves. They gathered during the halt, including those 
captured from the militia, several hundred horses, and left the "played out" ani- 
mals wherever it was convenient to un.saddle them. Kven antiquated brood mares , 
were stolen, and young, though dilapidated, horses left in their stead. j 

At daylight on Saturday, General Hobson's forces passed through Salem in pur- 
suit. They had ridden fifty miles the previous day, and their horses were badly 
jaded. They impressed what horses Morgan had not appropriated, and pushed 
straight on. 

After leaving Salem and Vienna, Morgan's main force felt its way steadily out 
of the state. Detachments on his flank and rear committed all subsequent depre- . 



IN INDIANA. 57 

dations, and, with the exception of the loss of the Ohio and ]\Iissi?sippi railroad 
bridges, he achieved nothini; to add to his reputation as an adroit and subtile par- 
tisan leader. The New Albany and Salem road was fully repaired on Monday, 
and trains passed over as usual. The Louisville and Jeffersonville, and the In- 
dianapolis and Cincinnati roads are attain intact, and likely to remain so. Dam- 
ages on the Ohio and Mississippi road will be repaired during the week. 

The record of the guerrilla in the state does him no credit. He has refused to 
fight the despised militia, time and again, and appears, when pretty well-cornered, 
to take the first dirt road or bridle-path that offers. If he has not deviated from 
his projected route, he certainly entertained great respect for our internal im- 
provements when he fixed upon it. 

The voice of the peace democracy in Indiana on this occasion was for war. 
None held back debating whether it would be constitutional to shoot at a rebel 
in Indiana, whatever it might be in Virginia. But it must be kept in mind that, 
butternuts have horses and milk-houses to defend, and bitter experience has 
taught them that the ungrateful rebels jayhawk from all alike. The guerrillas 
did not attempt to disguise the contempt they felt for their cowardly half-way 
friends. Lieutenant Adams, of Morgan's band, with a squad, after burning a 
bridge north of Salem, went to a quaker-farmer's house hard by, and asked for 
some milk. The friend demurely accompanied the lieutenant to the spring-house 
and told him to help himself and men. While drinking the milk, the following 
conversation occurred : 

Lieutenant Adams — "You're a Quaker, ain't you ?" 

Friend, (very soberly) — " Yea." 

Lieut. A. — " Then you're an abolitionist ? " 

Friend, (soberly) — " Yea." 

Lieut. A. (fiercely) — "A staunch union man?" 

Friend, (emphatically) — " Yea." 

Lieut. A. (after a pause) — "Got any butternuts around here ?" 

Friend — " Yea." 

Lieut. A. — "Then why in , don't you hang them? We have a way of 

choking such people down our way." 

The ignorant classes in the rural districts talk of nothing but ^^ gerillus," and 
are in fearful tremor lest the " reebils should come and burn more breedges.'' 
We saw a rascally trick played on an old f;irmer, by some of the railroad boys 
attached to the construction train. The old man was ploddinii his way home- 
ward from mill, and had his sack of meal thrown over his saddle before him. 
The railroaders ambushed themselves, and, as he approached, they went for him 
with a terrific whoop. The old man wheeled his horse around, and, dropping 
his meal and hat, galloped off hotly in the opposite direction, ducking his horri- 
fied countenance, and yelling at his equally terrified horse. The boys kept up 
the chase for nearly a mile, but the old gentleman had distanced them by that 
time. One of the militia secreted himself in a wheat-field, and remained there 
for two days. These, and like incidents, are facts, and are current food for laugh- 
ter among the more enlightened residents of Washington county. 

From other sources Ave gather some 

Incidents. — Upon reaching Corydon, a general thieving commenced. Watches, 
pocketbooks, knives, jewelry and liquors were seized everywhere. Hon. Mr. 
Wolf lost his watch and purse, and there was no respect paid to party, so long 
as a man had plunder. The liquors of the hospital, where some of their own 
wounded lay, shared the same fate with those of the drug stores, hotels and sa- 
loons. For a space of ten miles in width every horse was stolen, and individual 
resistants were insulted or killed. The same policy was pursued at Salem, and 
all along the route. Ransom-money or the flames were the alternatives presented 
to every wealthy manufacturer or miller, and everything was merged in the one 
desire— plunder. Singularly enough, greenbacks only were current, and all 
money was required to be in treasury notes. Nearly one thousand horses were 
taken between the river and Vienna, and in Salem alone three citizens were each 
put to a ransom of one thousand dollars to save their mills. 



58 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

Two things are to be noticed. Morgan knew, before he crossed tbe river, who 
were his friends and who had arms. Upon enterinij ('orydon he showed a list 
(and so at Salem) of every citizen tcho had a Henri/ rijle or other improved arm, 
and immediately sent patrols to bring them in. In Corydon the spy was a young 
man who visited there three weeks before, and returned with Morgan. At Salem, 
a deserter from the 66th Indiana boldly joined Morgan, and was armed by him, 
but was subsequently captured and is now in the Salem jail. 

Good guides were always found, and, strange as it was, money, in specific sums, 
was demanded from persons who thought only their best friends knew they had 
it. Yet, with much of local treason, the people as a mass were true, and Morgan 
himself, in some instances, swore roundly at some who boasted that they were 
opposed to the war, and repeatedly showed favors to others who bravely main- 
tained their attachment to the union. With here and there an exception, there 
was no fivor shown the copperheads or those who skulked fro'm the defense of 
their homes -in avowed sympathy with the south. Where the Knights of the 
Golden Circle were thickest, there was full information in Morgan's possession of 
all he wished to know ; but, when he got what he wanted, he treated his tools as i 
badly as he did his enemies, and bade them good-bye by taking the horses with 
which they had followed to guide him. 

A squad of three rebels, at Salem, went to the stable in which was the splendid 
stallion, Tempest, owned by Mr. George Lyman, of New Albany. On entering 
the stable, Tempest gave the first rebel a furious kick. On the other two he made 
demonstrations with his teeth, which kept them at bay. An officer then went off, 
swearing that he would bring a squad of men which could take him. He started 
for the new squad of men, but, in his absence, the groom jumped on the back of 
Tempest, rode away in a gallop, and soon passed beyond the rebel lines. The 
animal was valued at $1,000. 

Mr. William Clark and another man were sent out south of Salem, for the pur- 
pose of learning what the pickets had heard of the coming rebels. They fell in 
with the enemy, some of whom proposed to trade horses. The two men swapped 
horses with them over twenty times, and one of them came out with a better 
horse than he began with. They both said it was the greatest day of horse- 
trading they ever had. 

In Clark county, there was found a man, who, thinking to save his horse, pro- 
fessed to be a southern rights' man. Morgan told him he ought to be willing to 
do something for •' the cause," and asked what he would give to have his horse 
spared. He answered, " Forty dollars," which was paid ; but, to the sympathi- 
zer's chagrin, the horse was taken also. 

Morgan's invasion of Indiana was but a flight from the union troops 
of Gen. Hobson. He left the state on the Ohio border, and the further 
history of his ride is given elsewhere in this work. 

Indiana suffered somewhat from the disloyal elements upon her own 
soil. Clovernor Morton, in his message of 1864, gives this brief sketch 
of what has been termed the ^^ great conspiracy " of the Knights of the 
Grolden Circle, which, for a time, appeared ominous of evil. 

Some misguided persons who mistook the bitterness of party for patriotism, 
and ceased to feel the obligations of allegiance to our country and government, 
conspired against the state and national governments, and sought by military 
force to plunge us into the horrors of revolution. A secret organization had 
been formed, which, by its lectures and rituals, included doctrines subversive of 
the government, and which, carried to their consequences, would evidently re- 
sult in the disruption and destruction of the nation. The members of this or- 
ganization were united by solemn oaths, which, if observed, bound them to exe- 
cute the orders of their grand commanders without delay or questi(^n, however 
treasonable or criminal might be their character. I am glad to believe that the 
great minority of its members regarded it merely as a political machine, and did 
not suspect the uUerim- treasonable action contemplated by its leaders, and upon 
the discovery of its true character, hastened to abjure all connection with it.! 



IN INDIANA. 59 

Some of the chief conspirators have been arrested and tried by the government 
and others have fled ; their schemes have been exposed and baffled, and we may 
reasonably hope that our state may never airain be endangered and dishonored by 
the renewal of these insane and criminal designs. 

On the 20tli of May, 1864, a butternut mass meeting was held at 
Indianapolis. This had long been preparing, and was dreaded as an 
event likely to bring the horrors of civil war upon the state. From 
far and near the disloyal and disappointed elements had been gather- 
ing for this great meeting. In the result, however, the apprehended 
opening of bloody tragedies, partook of much of Ihe comic in its na- 
ture, judging from the account given of it, the next day, in the In- 
dianapolis Journal, which properly belongs to the history of the times. 

"We do not know whether the managers of the mass meeting (May 20,; are 
satisfied with its numbers or result, but are sure that union men have no cause 
for discouragement in either. It was a large meeting, and it contained a most 
offensively visible element of as mean treason as ever went unpunished, but it was 
not lai-ge enough to be alarming, and its action was by no means as unanimous or 
mischievous as those who called it together hoped to make it. There were pro- 
bably ten thousand persons present — certainly not more — and these included, as 
tiie progress of the proceeding proved, a very large proportion of union men. We 
expected a larger crowd, and we strongly suspeci; that the more sanguine and 
sanguinary of the copperheads regard it as a failure. There was but one stand 
for speakers, and the crowd around that was at no time larger than the crowd 
around the same stand at the union convention in February, 1864, when Governor 
Johnson was speaking, and two other stands were occupied and surrounded by 
immense audiences at the same time. The chief speakers, too, who were to have 
given character and impulse to the affair, did not come. Seymour excused him- 
self, Vallandigham was prevented by "circumstances over which he had no con- 
trol," and Cox and Pendleton, of Ohio, staid away without an excuse. The 
shortcomings of orators and audience were about equal. Voorhees and Hen- 
ui.'icks had to fill the breach, assisted by a Mr. Merrick, of Chicago, and a Mr. 
Eden, also of Illinois, the two latter men unknown this side of the state line till 
yesterday, and not likely to acquire, during the remainder of this century, a re- 
putation robust enough to bear transplanting outside of the little patch it was 
cultivated in at home. The entertainment was certainly not luxurious, but it was 
good enough, what there was of it, for the crowd, and there was enough of it, 
such as it was. 

But if the meeting was incomplete, its result was no less so. Tt began with an 
exhibition of loyal feeling that would have constipated the verbal flatulency of 
Voorhees for a week, and it ended in a regular out-and-out union meeting. On 
each side of the stand was nailed a national flag of rebel disaster. On the right, 
was the old flag of the gallant 7th, with " Winchester" inscribed on it, and the 
bullet holes of its rebel enemies shining through it. On the left, was the flag of 
the " old guard,'' the noble 13th, torn and faded in many a battle and march. We 
could not help wondering what those bi'ave, true men would say, if they could 
see their flags made to do honor to a party against whom they had uttered the se- 
verest censure that any party ever endured, in solemn and unanimous resolutions, 
with whose sentiments they have no sympathy, and whose conduct they denounce 
without measure. It was well that the 7th was on the Rappahannock, and the 
13th on the Blaokwater, or those flags would have speedily gone back to their hon- 
ed rest in the state library. But we must go on with our story. 

While the misused flags were flapping about in the morning breeze, and pro- 
bably a thousand persons were gathered around the stand, or scattered through 
the grove, a union man mounted the platform and shouted, "Three cheers for 
these flags, the government they represent and the war they have done such gal- 
lant service to!" and about half the crowd cheered heartily. The other half 
stood silent and angry. Thus the meeting began. It ended still more strangely, 
and disgustingly to all genuine copperhead feeling. When the question was put 



60 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

on the adoption of the resolutions a loud and astoundin^ly-strong negative vote 
was heard, followed immediately by "three clieers lor Lincoln," '■'■three cheers 
fur the war," and " three cheers for the conscription act,'" all of them given with 
a will and strength that showed how big a kernel of loyalty that butternut had 
contained. 

The meeting adjourned in disgust, and the union men at once took possession 
of the stand, and several speeches were made, the most striking of which was an 
account of the treatment of our prisoners by the rebels, by a sargeant of the 85th 
regiment, whose name we could not learn. Thus the meeting ended. Jts resolu- 
tions, like its body, were an unfinished production. We are informed that in the 
committee no less than three sets were introduced, one rabidly treasonable, one 
moderate, and the other tolerably loyal. The first set was rejected at once, 'i'he 
other two were finally patched into a report, which is more remarkable for what 
it don't say than what it does. It denounces arbitrary arrests, and military usur- 
pations, and denounces the arrest of V^alhindigham, but it don't denounce the 
rebels, it doiit denounce the war. it dont declare opposition to the conscription 
act, and it doii't indorse the repudiation of the interest on the public debt, nor it 
dorit demand that the interest shall be paid. It is a queer medley. The meet- 
ing was a queer medley. There was disloyal feeling in it, and enough of it, but it 
didn't get to say what it wanted to, or do what it came for. 

Incidents. — While the groat body of the meeting was orderly, evidently indis- 
posed to excite a disturbance, and evidently in no expectation of encountering 
one — a fact which we gladly attest — there was a considerable section of it eager- 
for a row, and well-armed to make a row a serious atfair. 

The number of revolvers seen, fired and captured during the day is almost in- 
credible. At the police court about forty were taken from persons arrested for 
"carrying concealed weapons." On the Lafayette train, as it was returning in 
the evening, pistols were fired in such numbers as to resemble the " fire-at-will " 
practice of a regiment. It was a perfect fusilade till the weapons were emptied, 
and that they had to be emptied at all is an ugly proof that they were brought 
here for no pacific purpose. On the Terre Haute train fully five hundred shots 
were fired. This occurred just west of the soldier's home, and the bullets flew 
over, around and into the home as thickly as if it were a union hospital in range 
of rebel rifles. 'I'hey rattled on the roof, fell on the floor and whizzed through 
the trees, and the adjacent buildings received a liberal share of the same storm. 
It may have been accidental, but the bullets didn't get into the pistols accident- 
ally. The soldiers, used as they were to being shot at, were no little surprised at 
this unexpected volley. From one of them, we learn the facts we have stated. 

On the Cincinnati train, also, a great many shots were fired, and in a part of 
the city where lives might have been lost by it. So, too, on the Peru train. These 
little exhibitions of copperhead sentiment Avere not lost on the military authori- 
ties. A gun was placed on the track of the Central road near New Jersey street, 
before the excursion train left, to stop it if any such dangerous demonstrations 
were made. The train came up loaded, inside and out, but halted before it 
reached the gun, and backed down to Virginia avenue. There, an infantry party 
surrounded it, and a policeman boarded it and demanded the surrender of all the 
pistols on it. They were handed over to the number of nearly 200. 

The Peru and Cincinnati trains were also intercepted and nearly 200 revolvers 
taken from each one. Altogether about 1,000 pistols wera thus taken from per- 
sons attending the meeting. Undoubtedly, the owners were Knights of the Golden 
Circle, with whom a large pcu-tion of the democratic party have no sympathy. 
During the progress of the meeting revolvers were frequently exhibited, in two 
cases drawn in anger on the guards in the state-house yard, and most of the ar- 
rests made in the yard were for carrying concealed weapons. 

The anticipation of trouble from these Knights of the Golden Circle, of whose 
purposes full warning has been received, and the probability of a collision occur- • 
ring, which might spread into a general riot, induced General Hascall to order 
out a considerable body of troops to protect the arsenal and other public property, 
and to suppress any riotous demonstrations. Four companies of the 7Ist regi- 



IN INDIANA. 61 

ment were stationed in the jj;()vernor's circle all day, on account of its central lo- 
cation, but none of tlieiii wore called on for service, and they had a jolly good 
time pic-nickini;; on the solt green in the bhade. A few soldiers were placed in, 
and near, the state-house yard to protect the meeting, or suppress disorder, Ijut no 
military force, except these patrols, was allowed near the meeting, though a good 
many soldiers, on leave, contrary to orders, were there unarmed. 

The proceedings of the meeting till 12 o'clock were undisturbed. After that 
time, an occasional scuffle, or arrest for carrying concealed weapons, made a dis- 
turbance on the skirts of the crowd, but did not interfere with the meeting. 

About half-past twelve, Samuel Hamill, of Sulhvan county, who hud been upon 
the stand from the first, and had got himself loaded with a speech, seeing but lit- 
tle chance to blow off his swivel among so many big guns, started another meet- 
ing on his own hook, near the south fence. j\lounting a dry goods box, he com- 
menced to speak. He said, "he was a genuine, live butternut," and followed this 
interesting declaration witii his opinion of the condition of the country. He said 
that " we had a revolutionary government at Kichmond, and a revolutionary gov- 
ernment at VVasliington, and that there was as much oppression of the people by 
the Washington government as by the Richmond government." 

It this point he was interrupted by cries of " Come down I " "Comedown!" 
" Come down, butternut." Some of the butternuts asked those who were thus 
vociferating, why the speaker ought to "come down?" "Because he compares 
our government to Jeff. Davis,' " was the answei". The excitement increased and 
the speaker stopped. Some soldiers in the crowd " went for him." He made no 
attempt to proceed further, but quietly said, that he had no desire to raise a fuss, 
and stepped from the stand amid loud applause and cheers for the union. No 
more speeches were made from that stand. 

There was no disturbance aftt** this, of any consequence, till Mr. Hendricks 
had been speaking some time. Then, in reply to some mean, dislo^'al remark of 
his, a union unin in the crowd called out something which we did not hear. A 
copperhead seized him, and he rushed toward the stand. A scuffle followed, 
which was ended by the soldiers entering the crowd and taking off the man who 
committed the assault. Mr. Hendricks finished his speech, though interrupted 
occasi(uialIy and improperly, and the resolutions of the committee were read by 
jMr. Buskirk and adopted, and the meeting adjourned s("».e c?ie, regularly, and with- 
out any row at all. Jt was then that the union men and soldiers took possession 
of the stand, and held a meeting of tlieir own. 

We learn that about 1,5U0 revolvers have been taken, with a large number of 
knives. One knife, two feet long, was found and taken out of the stove in une of 
the cars of the Cincinnati train. On one woman no less than seven revolvers 
were found. They had been deposited with her for safe-keeping, under the im- 
pression that she wcmld not give them up. But she did. A large number of pis- 
tols were thrown out of the winddws of the cars, when it was found that their 
possession was likely to prove troublesome, and many were found by boys on the 
track, or in the creek which borders the other side of the track. The S'n-vice of 
capturing these implements of Knights-of-theGolden-Circle loyalty was performed 
chiefly by the 71st boys. 

The firing from the cars, which forced the military to the search for weapons, 
was more serious than we at first supposed. From the Cincinnati train a number 
of shots struck the dwelling houses on New Jersey street, East and Noble streets, 
and several persons narrowly escaped death. One ball passed between the head 
of a woman sitting in her front yard, and the head of her little baby whom she 
was holding in her arms, just grazing the temple of the child. 

We also heard that a man was wounded by one of the shots from the Bellefon- 
taine cars, but we could not learn the truth of the report. The bullets that rat- 
tled so rapidly around and through the soldier's home, we were told, were fired 
from the Lafayette train instead of the Terre Haute. The whole number of pis- 
tols taken will reach 1,500 or 2,000. 



62 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

It was in the fall of 1864, that occurred at Indianapolis, before a 
Militurj' Commission, the noted Treason Trials, which, for the 
time, greatly agitated the State and country by the startling develop- 
ments. Six of the members of the so-called Peace Pai-ty — Harrison 
H. Dodd, William A. Bowles, Andrew Humphreys, Horace HeflFren, 
Lambdin P. Milligan and Stephen Horse}^ were arrested by General 
A. P. Hovey, commander of the district, and put upon trial in Octo- 
ber. These men were leaders in the secret organization known as 
the Knights of the Golden Circle, or Sons of Liberty. Dodd escaped 
and fled to Canada before the proceedings were fully begun, and 
Heffren, one of the accused, turned states evidence. Major Henry 
L. Burnett, Judge Advocate, charged "conspiracy against the Gov- 
ernment; aiding and comlbrting the rebels; inciting insurrection ; 
disloyal jiractices and violation of the laws of war," The trial was 
not terminated until winter. It was proved that among the plans 
of the Sons of Liberty, was the abduction and assassination of Gov- 
ernor Morton, the freeing of the rebel .prisoners at Indianapolis, and 
a general insurrection against the Government of the United States. 
The accused were found guilty and sentenced to be executed on the 
19th day of May, 1865. The execution was deferred, and the case 
finally carried up to the Supreme Court of the United States, on the 
ground that Indiana, not having been a State in rebellion, and the 
action of the civil courts of the Government being unimpeded, a 
military court had no authority to try any of her citizens. . The 
appeal was sustained and a decision given in December, 1866, four 
of the nine judges dissenting therefrom. The diverse opinions have 
thus been briefly outlined : 

The point of difference in the two opinions, turns upon the power of Congress 
to authorize military commissions. The minority of the Bench dissent from 
the obvious deduction from the argument of the majority that the Constitution 
gives Congress no ix)wer in war to authorize military commissions in States 
where the authority and action of the established courts is unimpeded. The 
minority agree that no department of the Government possesses any power not 
given it by the Constitution, but holds that as the Constitution not only author- 
izes Congress to raise, support and govern armies, but to declare war, it implies 
the exerci.se of power to provide by law for carrying it on and prosecuting it 
energetically ; and though it can not apply the laws of war where no war exists 
or has been declared, yet when the nation is involved in war, and invaded, or 
threatened with invasion, it is within the power of Congress to determine in what 
States danger exists sufficiently imminent to authorize the establishment of 
military tribunals for the trial of crimes and ofl'enses against the discipline and se- 
curity of the army, or against the public safety. In the opinion of the minority, 
the sweeping denial of tlie power of Congress, in times of great public peril, to resort 
to extraordinary means of averting or overcoming it, is calculated "to cripi^le 
the constitutional power of the Government, and to augment the public dangers 
in time of terrorism and rebellion." 

No histoiy of the times of the rebellion would be complete that 
should omit an account of the secret societies that exis^ted in the 
"West to aid the rebellion. We therefore introduce here the official 
report of the Hon. Joseph Holt, of Kentucky, Judge Advocate Gen- 
eral of the United States, on the "Order op American Knights," 
or "Sons op Liberty." It is an able document, and was issued from 
the "War Department, Bureau of Military Justice, Washington, D. 



IN INDIANA. 63 

C, October 8th, 1864," and addressed to "Hon. E. M. Stanton, Sec- 
retary of War : " 

Sir: Having been instructed by you to prepare a detailed report 
upon the mass of testimony furnished me from different sources in 
regard to tlie Secret Associations and Conspiracies against the Govern- 
ment, formed principally in tlte Western States, by traitors and dis- 
loyal persons, I have now the honor to submit as follows : 

Daring more than a year past it has beeii generall}^ known to our 
military autliorities that a secret treasonable organization, affiliated 
^vith the Southern rebellion, and chiefly militarj^ in its character, has 
been rapidl}' extending itself throughout the West. A variety of 
igencies, which will be specified herein, have been employed, and 
mccessfully, to ascertain its nature and extent, us well as its aims 
md its results ; and, as this investigation has led to the arrest in 
several States of a number of its prominent members as dangerous 
public enemies, it has been deemed proper to set forth in full the acts 
md purposes of this organization, and thus to make known to the' 
country at large its intensely treasonable and revolutionary spirit. 

The subject will be presented under the following heads: 
I. The origin, history, names, etc., of the order. 
II. Its organization and officers. 

III. Its extent and numbers. 

IV. Its armed forces. 

V. Its ritual, oaths, and interior forms. 
Tl. Its written principles. 
VII. Its specific purposes and operations. 
VIII. The witnesses and their testimony. 

I. — THE ORIGIN, HISTORY, NAMES, ETC., OF THE ORDER. 

This secret association first develojDed itself in the West in the year 
.862, about the period of the first conscription of troops, which it 
limed to obstruct and resist. Originally known in certain localities 
is the "Mutual Protection Societ}^," the "Circle of Honor," or the 
'Circle," or "Knights of the Mighty Host," but more widely as the 
'Knights of the (xolden Circle," it was simply an inspiration of the 
•ebellion, being little other than an extension among the disloyal 
md disaffected at the North of the association of the latter name, 
vhich had existed for some years at the South, and from which it 
lerived all the chief features of its organization. 

During the summer and fall of 1863 the order, both at the North and South, 
mderwent some modifications as well as cliange of name. In consequence of a 
)artial exposure which had been made of the signs and ritual of the "Knights 
if the Golden Circle," Sterling Price had instituted as its successor in Missouri 
I, secret political association, which he called the '' Corps de Belgique," or 
' Southern League;" his principal coadjutor being Charles L. Hunt, of St. Louis, 
hen Belgian Consul at that city, but whose exequatur was subsequently revoked 
)y the President on account of his disloyal practices. The special object of the 
!^orps de Belgique appears to have been to unite the rebel sympathizers of Mis- 
louri, with a view to their taking up arms and joining Price upon his proposed 
;rand invasion of that State, and to tlieir recruiting for his army in the interim. 

Meanwhile, also, there had been instituted at the North, in the autumn of lb63, 
)y sundry disloyal persons — prominent among whom were Vallandigham and 



64 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

P. C. Wright, of New York — a secret order intended to be general throughout 
the country, and aiming at an extended influence and power, and at more posi- 
tive results than its predecessor, and wliicli was termed, and has since been widely 
known as the 0. A. K., or " Order of American Kitighta." 

The opinion is expressed by Col. Sanderson, Provost Marshal General of the 
Department of Missouri, in his official report upon the progress of this order, that it 
was founded by Vallaiidigham during his banisiiment, and npon consuhatiou at 
liichmond with Davis and other prominent traitors. It is, indeed, the boast of 
the order in Indiana and elsewhere, that its " ritual" came direct from Davis 
himself; and Mary Ann Pitman, formerly attached to the command of the rebel 
Forrest, and a most intelligent witness — whose testimony will be hereafter re- 
ferred to — states positively that Davis is a member of the order. 

Upon the institution of the principal organization, it is represented that the 
"Corps de Belgique" was moditied by Price, and became a Southern .section of 
the Order of American Knigbts, and that the new name was generally adopted 
for the order, both at the North and South. 

The secret signs and cliaracter of the order having become known to our mili- 
tary authorities, further modifications in the ritual and forms were introduced, 
and its name was finally changed to that of 0. S. L., or "Order of the Sons of 
Liberty" or the '' Knights of the Order of the Sons of Liberty." These latter 
changes are represented to have been fir.st instituted, and the new ritual compiled, 
in the State of Indiana, in May last, but the new name was at once generally 
adopted throughout the West, though in some localities the association is still 
better known as the "Order of American Knights." 

Meanwhile, also, the order has received certain local designations. In parts 
of Illinois it has been called at times the "Peace Organization," in Kentucky 
the "Star Organization," and in Missouri the "American Organization;" these, 
however, being apparently names used outside of the lodges of the order. Its 
members have also been familiarly designated as " Butternuts" by the country 
people of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, and its separate lodges have also frequently 
received titles intended for the public ear; that in Chicago, for instance, being 
termed by its members the "Democratic Invincible Club," that in Louisville the 
"Democratic Reading Eoom," etc. 

It is to be added that in the State of New York, and other parts of the North, 
the secret political association known as the ^^McCiellayi Minute Guard" would 
seem to be a branch of the Order of American Knights, having substantially the 
same objects, to be accomplished, however, by means expressly suited to the 
localities in which it is established. For, as the Cliief Secretary of this associa- 
tion, Dr. R. F. Stevens, stated in June last to a reliable witness whose testimony 
has been furnished, "those who represent the McCIellan interest are compelled 
to preach a vigorous prosecution of the war, in order to secure the popular senti- 
ment and allure voters.' 

II. — ITS ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS. 

From printed copies, heretofore seized by the Government, of the 
Constitution of the Supreme Council, Grand Council, and County- 
Parent Temples, respectively, of the Order of Sons of Liberty, in con- 
nection with other and abundant testimony, the organization of the 
order, in its latest form, is ascertained to be as follows : 

1. The government of the order throughout the United States is 
vested in "a Supreme Council, of which the officers are a Supreme 
Commander, Secretaiy of State, and Treasurer. Tliese officers are 
elected for one year, at the annual meeting of the Supreme Council, 
•which is made w]) of tlie Grand Commanders of the several States 
ex officio, imd two delegates elected from each State in which the 
order is established. 



IN INDIANA. 65 

2. The ,£;overnment of the order in a State is vested in a Grand 
Council, the officers of which are a Grand Commander, Deputy Grand 
Commander, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasui-er, and a certain num- 
ber of Major Generals, or one for each Military District. These 
officers also are elected annually by "representatives" from the county 
temples, each temple beinaj entitled to two representatives, and one 
additional for eacli thousand members. This body of rejn-esentativcs 
is also invested with certain legislative functions. 

3. The parent temple is the organization of the order for a county, 
each tera2:)le being formerly instituted by authority of the Supreme 
Council, or of the Grand Council or Grand Commander of the State. 
By the same authority, or by that of the officei's of the parent temple, 
branch or subordinate temples may be established for townships in 
the county. 

But the strength and significance of this orgai^'zation lie in its 
military character. The secret constitution of the Supreme Council 
provides that the vSupreme Commander '■'■shall be commander-in-chief 
of all military forces belonging to the order in the various States when 
called into actual service; and further, that the Grand Commanders 
^^ shall be commanders-in-chief of the military forces of their respective 
StafesJ^ Subordinate to the Grand Commander in the State are the 
'■'■Major Generals,'' each of whom commands his separate district and 
army. In Indiana the Major Generals are four in number. In Illi- 
nois, w^iere the organization of the order is considered most perfect, 
the members in each congressional district compose a "brigade,''^ 
which is commanded by a ^'■brigadier general.'' The members of each 
county constitute a " re^i'men^," with n " colonel" \r\ command, and 
those of each township form a "company." A somewhat similar 
Bj'stem prevails in Indiana, where also each companj' is divided into 
"squads" each with its chief — an arrangement intended to facilitate 
the guerrilla mode of warfare in case of a general outbreak or local 
disorder. 

The '•McClellan Minute Guard," as appears from a circular issued 
by the Chief Secretar}' in New York in March last, is organized upon 
a militarj^ basis similar to that of the order pi'oper. It is composed 
of companies, one for each election district, ten of which constitute a 
"brigade," with a " brigadier general" at its head. The whole is 
placed under the authorit}'- of a "commander-in-chief." A strict 
obedience on the part of members to the orders of their superiors is 
enjoined. 

The first " Supreme Commander" of the order was P. C. Wright, 
of New York, editor of the New York News, who was in May last 
placed in arrest and confined in Fort Lafayette. His successor in 
office was Yallandigham, who was elected at the annual meeting of 
the Supreme Council in February last. Robert liolloway, of Illinois, 
is reported to have acted as Lieutenant General, or Deputy Supreme 
Commander, during the absence of Vallandigham from the country. 
The Secretary of State chosen at the last election was Dr. Massey, 
of Ohio. 

In Missouri, the principal officers were C. L. Hunt, Grand Commander, Charles 
E. Dunu, Deputy (Jraud Commander, and Greeu B. Smith, Grand Secretary 



GQ TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

Since the arrest of these three persons (all of wliom have made confessions which 
will presently be alluded to), James A. Barrett has, as it is understood, ofBciated 
as Grand Commander. lie is stated to occupy also the position of chief of staff 
to the (Supreme Commander. 

The Grand Commander in Indiana, H. H. Dodd, is now on trial at Indianapolis 
by a military commission for "conspiracy against the Government," "violation 
of the laws of war," and other charges. The Deputy Grand Commander in that 
State is Horace Heffren, and the Grand Secretary, W. M. Harrison. The Major 
Generals are W. A. Bowles, John C. Walker, L. P. Milligan, and Andrew Hum- 
phreys. Among the other leading members of the order in that State are Dr. 
Athon, State Secretary, and Joseph Ristine, State Auditor. 

The Grand Commander in Illinois is Judd, of Lewistown, and B. B. Piper, 

of Springfield, who is entitled "Grand Missionary" of the State, and designated 
also as a member of Vallandigham's staff, is one of the most active members, 
having been busily engaged throughout the summer in establishing temples and 
initiating members. 

In Kentucky, Judge Bullitt, of the Court of Appeals, is Grand Commander, 
and, with Dr. U. F. Kalllis and W. R. Thomas, jailor in Louisville, two other 
of the most prominent members, has been arrested and confined by the military 
authorities. In New York, Dr. R. F. Stevens, the chief secretary of the McClel- 
lan Minute Guard, is the most active ostensible representative of the order. 

The greater part of the chief and subordinate officers of the order and its 
branches, as well as the principal members thereof, are known to the Govern- 
ment, and, where not already arrested, may regard themselves as under a constant 
military surveillance. So complete has been the exposure of this secret league, 
that however freijuently the conspirators may change its names, forms, pass- 
words, and signals, its true purposes and operations can not longer be concealed 
from the military authorities. 

It is to be remarked that the Supreme Council of the order, which annually 
meets on February 22, convened this year at New York city, and a special meet- 
ing was then appointed to be held at Chicago on July 1, or just prior to the day 
then fixed for the convention of the Democratic party. This convention having 
been postjooned to August 29, the special meeting of the Supreme Council was 
also postponed to August 27, at the same place, and was duly convened accord- 
ingly. It will be remembered that a leading member of the convention, in the 
course of a speech made before that body, alluded approvingly to the session of 
the Sons of Liberty at Chicago at the same time, as that of an organization in 
harmoiij' with the sentiment and projects of the convention. 

It may be observed, in conclusion,. that one not fully acquainted with the true 
character and intentions of the order, might well suppose that, in designating its 
officers by high military titles, and in imitating in its organization that established 
in our armies, it was designed merely to render itself more popular and attrac- 
tive with the masses, and to invest its .chiefs with a certain sham dignity; but 
when it is understood that the order comprises within itself a large army of well 
armed men, constantly drilling and exercised, as soldiers, and that this army is 
held ready, at any time, for such forcible resistance to our military authorities, 
and such active cooperation with the public enemy, as it may be called upon to 
engage in by its commanders, it will be perceived that the titles of the latter are 
not assumed for a mere purpose of display, but that they are the chiefs of an 
actual and formidable force of conspirators against the life of the Government, 
and that their military system is, as it has been remarked by Colonel Sanderson, 
"the grand lever used by the rebel government for its army operations." 

Ill — ITS EXTENT AND NUMBERS. 

The "temples" or "lodges" of the order are numerously scattered 
throughout the States of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, and Ken- 
tucky. They are also officially reported as established, to a less ex- 
tent, in Michigan and the other Western States, as well as in New 



IN INDIANA. 



67 



York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ehode Island, Connecticut, 
'New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Tennessee. Dodd, the Grand 
Commander of Indiana, in an address to the members in that State 
of Febriiaiy last, claims that at the next annual meeting of the Su- 
premo Council (in February, 1865,) every State in the Union will be 
represen-ted, and adds, "this is the first and only true national organ- 
ization the Democratic and Conseiwative men of the country have 
ever attemjDted." A provision made in the constitution of the Coun- 
cil for a representation from the Territories shows, indeed, that the 
widest extension of the order is contemplated. 

In the States first mentioned, the order is most strongl}' centered 
at the following places, where are situated its jDrincipal " temples." 
In Indiana, at Indianapolis and Yincennes; in Illinois, at Chicago, 
Springfield and Quincy (a large proportion of the lodges in and about 
the latter place have been founded by the notorious guerrilla chief, 
Jackman); in Ohio, at Cincinnati, Dayton, and in Hamilton county 
(which is jjroudl}'' termed by members "the South Carolina of the 
North); in Missouri, at St. Louis; in Kentucky, at Louisville; and 
in Michigan, at Detroit (whence communication was freely had by 
the leaders of the order with Yallandigham during his banishment, 
either by letters addressed to him through two prominent citizens 
and members of the order, or by personal interviews at Windsor, C. 
W.) It is to be added that the regular places of meeting, as also the 
princi2)al rendezvous and haunts of the members in these and less 
important places, are generally well known to the Government. 

The actual numbers of the order have, it is believed, never been officially re- 
ported, and caa not, therefore, be accurately ascertained. Various estimates have 
been made, by leading members, some of wliicii are no doubt considerably ex- 
aggerated. It has been asserted by delegates to the t^upreme Council of Feb- 
ruary last, that the number was there represented to be from eight hundred 
thousand to one million; but Vallandigham, in his speech last summer at 
Dayton, Ohio, placed it at five hundred thousand, which is probably much 
nearer the true total. The number of its members in the several States has been 
differently estimated in the reports and statements of its officers. Thus the force 
of the order in Indiana, is stated to be from seventy-five to one hundred and 
twenty-five thousand; in Illinois, from one hundred to one hundred and forty 
thousand; in Ohio, from eighty to one hundred and eight thousand; in Kentucky, 
from tbrty to seventy thousand; in Missouri, from twenty to tbrty thousand; and 
in Michigan and New York, about twenty tliousand each. Its representation 
in the other States above mentioned does not specifically appear from the testi- 
mony; but, allowing for every exaggeration in the figures reported, they may be 
deemed to present a tolerably faithful view of what, at least, is regarded by the 
order as its true force in the States designated. 

It is to be noted that the order, or its counterpart, is probably much more 
widely extended at the South even than at the North, and that a large poi'tion 
of the officers ot the rebel army are represented by credible witnesses to be mem- 
bers. In Kentucky and Missouri the order has not hesitated to admit as mem- 
bers not only officers of that army, but also a considerable number of guerrillas, 
a class who might be supposed to appreciate most readily its spirit and purposes. 
It is fully shown that as lately as in Jnly last, sevei-al of these ruffians were 
initiated" into the first degree by Dr. Kalfus, in Kentucky. 



68 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

IV. — ITS ARMED FORCE. 

A review of the testimony in recjard to the armed force of the order, 
will materially aid in determininG: its real streno^th and numbers. 

Although the order has from the outset partaken of the militury 
character, it was not till the summer or fall of 1863 that it began to 
be generally organized as an armed body. Since that date its officers 
and leaders have been busily engaged in placing it upon a military 
basis, and in preparing it for a revolutionary movement. A general 
system of drilling has been instituted and secretly carried out. Mem- 
bers have been instructed to be constantly provided with weapons, 
and in some localities it has been absolutely required that each 
member should keep at his residence, at all times, certain arms and 
a specified quantity of ammunition. 

In March last, the entire armed force of the order, capable of being 
mobilized for effective service, was represented to be three hundred 
and forty thousand men. As the details, upon which this statement 
was based, are imperfectly set forth in the testimony, it is not known 
how far this number may be exaggerated. It is abundantly shown, 
liowever, that the order, by means of a tax levied upon its members, 
has accumulated considerable funds for the purchase of arms and 
ammunition, and that these have been procured in large quantities 
for its use. The witness Clayton, on the trial of Dodd, estimated 
that tico thirds of the order are furnished with arms. 

Green B. Smith, Grand Secretary of the order in Missouri, states 
in his confession of Jul}^ last: "I know that arms, mostly revolvers 
and ammunition, have been purchased by members in St. Louis, to 
send to members in the country where they could not be had; and 
he subsequently adds that he himself alone clandestinely purchased 
and forwarded, between April 15th and 19th last, about two hundred 
revolvers, with five thousand percussion caps and other ammunition. 
A muster-roll of one of the countrj^ lodges of that State is exhibited, 
in which, opposite the name of each member, are noted certain num- 
bers, under the heads of " Missouri Eepublican," "St. Louis Union," 
"Anzeiger," "Miscellaneous Periodicals," "Books," "Speeches," and 
"Reports;" titles which, when interpreted, severally Bignify single- 
barreled guns, double-barreled guns, revolvers, private ammunition, 'private 
lead, company powder, company lead — the roll thus actually setting 
forth the amount of arms and ammunition in the possession of the 
lodges and its members. 

In the States of Ohio and Illinois the order is claimed, by its mem- 
bers, to be unusually well armed with revolvers, carbines, etc.; but 
it is in regard to the arming of the order in Indiana that the princi- 
pal statistics have been presented, and these may serve to illustrate 
the s_y8tem which has j^^'obably been pursued in most of the States. 
One intelligent witness, who has been a member, estimates that in 
March last, there were in jjossession of, the order in that State six- 
thousand muskets and sixty thousand revolvers, besides private 
arms. Another member testifies that at a single lodge meeting of 
two hundred and fifty-two persons, which he attended early in the 
present j'ear, the sum of $4,000 was subscribed for arms. Other 
members present statements in reference to the number of arms in 



IN INDIANA. 69 

their respective counties, and all agree in representing that these 
liave been constantly forwarded from Indianapolis into the interior. 
Beck & Brothers are designated as the firm in that city, to which 
most of the arms were consigned. These were shipped principally 
from the East; some packages, however, were sent from Cincinnati, 
and some from Kentucky, and the boxes were generally mai'ked 
"pick-axes," "hardware," "nails," "household goods,'" etc. 

General Carrington estimates that in Februaiy and March last nearly thirty 
thousand guns and revolvers entered the State, and this estimate is based upon 
an actual inspection of invoices. The true number introduced was, therefore, 
probabl}' considerably greater. That ofHcer adds, that on the day in which tlie 
sale of arms was stopped by his order, in Indianapolis, nearly one thousand ad- 
ditional revolvers had been contracted for, and that the trade could not supply 
the demand. He further reports that after tlie introduction of arms into the de- 
partment of the North had been prohibited in General Orders of March last, a 
seizure was made by the Government of a large quantity of revolvers and one 
hundred and thirty-five thousand rounds of ammunition, which had been shipped 
to the firm in Indianapolis, of which H. H. Dodd, Grand Commander, was a 
member; that other arms about to be shipped to the same destination were 
seized in New York city; and that all these were claimed as the private property 
of John C. Walker, one of the Major Generals of the order in Indiana, and were 
represented to have been ^'' purchased for a few friends." It should also be stated 
that at tlie office of Hon. D. W. Voorhees, M. C, at Terre Haute, were discover- 
ed letters which disclosed a correspondence between him and ex-Senator Wall, 
of New Jersey, in regard to the purchase of twenty thousand Garibaldi rifles, to 
be forwarded to the West. 

It appears in the course of the testimony that a considerable quantity of arms 
and ammunition was brought into the State of Illinois from Burlington, Iowa, 
and that ammunition was sent from New Albany, Indiana, into Kentucky; it 
is also represented that, had Vallandigham been arrested on his return to Ohio, 
it was contemplated furnishing the order with arms from a point in Canada, near 
Windsor, where they were stored and ready for use. 

There remains further to be noted, in this connection, the testimony of Clayton 
upon the trial of Dodd, to the effect that arms were to be furnished the order 
from Nassau, N. P., by way of Canada; that, to defray the expenses of these 
arms or their transportation, a formal assessment was levied upon the lodges, 
but that the transportation into Canada was actually to be furnished by the Con- 
federate authorities. 

A statement was made by Hunt, Grand Commander of Missouri, before his 
arrest, to a fellow member, that shells and all kinds of munitions of war, as well 
as infernal machines, were manufactured for the order at Indianapolis; and the 
late discovery in Cincinnati of samples of liand-grenades, conical shells, and 
rockets, of which one thousand .were about to be manufactured under a special 
contract, for the Order of the Sons of Liberty, goes directly to verify such a 
statement. 

These details will convey some idea of the attempts which have been made to 
place the order on a war fioting and prepare it for aggressive movements. But, 
notwithstanding all the efforts that have been put forth, and with considerable 
success, to arm and equip its members as fighting men, the leaders have felt 
tliemselves still very deficient in their armament, and numerous schemes for in- 
creasing their armed strength have been devised. Thus, at the time of the issu- 
ing of the general order in Missouri requiring the enrollment of all citizens, it 
was proposed in the lodges of the Order of American Knights, at St. Louis, that 
certain members should raise companies in the militia, in their respective wards, 
and thus get command of as many Government arms and equipments as possi- 
ble, for the future use of the order. Again it was proposed that all the members 
should enrol themselves in the militia, instead of paying commutation, in this 



70 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

way obtain possession of United States arras, and having the advantage of the 
drill and military instruction. In the councils of the order in Kentucky, in 
June last, a scheme was devised for disarming all the negro troops, which it was 
thouuht could be done witliout much ditiiculty, and appropriating their arms for 
military purposes. 

The despicable treachery of these proposed plans, as evincing the anhiiiis of the! 
conspiracy, need not be commented upon. 

It is to be observed that the order in the State of Missouri has counted greatly 
upon support from the enrolled militia, in case of an invasion by Price, as con- 
taining many members and friends of the Order of American Knights; and that 
the "Paw-Paw Militia," a military organization of Buchanan county, as well as 
the militia of Platte and Clay counties, known as "Flat-Foots," have been relied 
upon, almost to a man, to join the revolutionary movement. 
mm 

V. — ITS RITUAL, OATHS, AND INTERIOR FORMS. 

The ritual of the order, as well as its secret signs, passwords, etc., 
has been fully made known to the military avithorities. In August 
last one hundred and twelve coi^ies of the ritual of the Order of 
American Knights were seized in the office of Hon. I). W. Yoorhees, 
M. C, at Terre Haute, and a large number of rituals of the Order of 
the Sons of Liberty, together with copies of the constitutions of the 
councils, etc., already referred to, were found in the building at In- 
dianapolis, occupied by Dodd, the Grand Commander of Indiana, as 
had been indicated by the Government witness and detective Stidger. 
Copies were likewise discovered at Louisville, at the residence of Dr. 
Kalfus, concealed within the mattress of his bed, where Stidger had 
ascertained that they were kejit. 

The ritual of the Order of American Knights has also been fur- 
nished by the authorities at St. Louis. From the ritual, that of the 
Order of the Sons of Liberty does not materially differ. Both are term- 
ed "progressive," in that the}' provide for five separate degrees of niem- 
bershij), and contemplate the admission of a member of a lower de- 
gree into a higher one only ujDon certain vouchers and proofs of fitness, 
which, with each ascending degree, are required to be stronger and 
more imposing. 

Each degree has its commander or head; the fotirth or "grand" 
is the highest in a State; the fifth or "supreme" the highest in the 
United States ; but to the first or lower degree only do the great 
majority of members attain. A large proportion of these enter the 
order, supposing it to be a "Democratic and political association 
merely; and the history of the order furnishes a most striking illus- 
tration of the gross antl criminal decej^tion which may be practiced 
upon the ignorant masses by unscrupulous and unprincipled leaders. 
The members of the lower degree are often fur a considerable period 
kept quite unaware of the true purpose of their chiefs. But to the 
latter they are bound, in the language of their obligation "ifo ?/?e^(i 
promj^t and explicit obedience to the xitmost of their ability, icithoiit remon- 
strance, liesitation or delay^'' and meanwhile their minds, under the 
discipline and teachings to which they are subjected, become edu- 
cated and accustomed to contemplate with comparative unconcern the 
treason for which they are j^reparing. 

The oaths, "invocations," "cliarges," etc., of the ritual, exjn-essed 
as they are in bombastic and extravagant phraseology, would excite 



IN INDIANA. 71 

in the mind of an educated person only ridicule or contempt, but upon 
the illiterate the}' are calculated to make a deep impression, tiie effect 
and importance of which were doubtless fully studied by the franiei'S 
of the instrument. 

The oath which is administered npon the introduction of a member 
into any degree, is especially imposing in the language; it prescribes 
as a penalty for a violation of the obligation assumed "a shameful 
death," and further, that the body of the person guilty of such viola- 
tion shall be divided in four parts and cast out of the four "gates" 
of the temple. N'ot onl}-, as has been said, does it enjoin a blind obe- 
dience to the commands of the superiors of the order, but it is re- 
quired to be held of paramount obligation to any oath which may be 
administered to a member in a court of justice or elsewhere. Thus, 
in case whei-e members have been sworii by officers empowered to 
administer oaths to speak the whole truth in answer to questions 
that may be put to them, and have then been examined in reference 
to the order, and their connection therewith, they have not only re- 
fused to give any information in regard to its character, but have 
denied that they were members, or even that they knew of its exist- 
ence. A conspicuous instance of this is presented in the case of 
Hunt, Dunn, and Smith, the chief officers of the order in Missouri, 
who, upon their first examination under oath, after their arrest, 
denied all connection with the order, but confessed, also under oath, 
at a subsequent period, that this denial was Avholly fjilse, although in 
accordance with their obligations as members. Indeed, a deliberate 
systein of deception in regard to the details of the conspiracy is in- 
culcated upon tlie members, and studiously pursued; and it may be 
mentioned as a similarly despicable feature of the organization, that 
it is held bound to injure the Administration and officei"S of tlie Gov- 
3rnment, in every possible manner, by misrepresentation and false- 
hood. 

Members are also instructed that their oath of membership is to be held para^ 
nount to an oath of allegiance, or any otiier oath which may impose obligations 
nconsisteiit with those which are assumed upon entering the order. Thus, ifia 
aiember, when in danger, or for the purpose of facilitating some traitorous de- 
sign, has taken the oath of allegiance to the United States, he is held at liberty 
;o violate it on the first occasion, his obligation to the order being deemed supe- 
-ior to any consideration of duty or loyalty prompted by such oath. 

It is to be added that where members are threatened with the penalties of per- 
ury, in case of their answering falsely to questions propounded to them in regard 
x> the order before a court or grand jury, they are instructed to refuse to answer 
mch questions, alleging as a ground tor their refusal, that their answers may 
yriminate themselves. The testimony shows that this course has habitually been, 
pursued by members, especially in Indiana, when placed in such a situation. 

Besides the oaths and other forms and ceremonies which have been alluded to, 
he ritual contains what are termed '•Declarations of Principles." Tiiese decla- 
rations, whicli are most important as exhibiting the creed and character of the 
Drder, as inspired by the principles of the rebellion, will be fully presented under, 
the next branch of the subject. 

The signs, signals, passwords, etc., of the order are set forth at length in the 
testimony, but need only be briefly alluded to. It is a significant fact, as show- 
ing the intimate relations between the Northern and Southern sections of the 
secret conspiracy, that a member from a Northern State is enabled to pass with- 
out risk througli the South bv the use of the signs of recognition which have 

5 



72 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

been establislied throughout the order, and by means of wliich members from 
distant points, though meeting as strangers, are at once made known to each 
other as "brothers." Mary Ann Pitman expressly states in her testimony tliat 
whenever important dispatches are required to be sent by rebel generals beyond 
their lines, members of the order are always selected to convey them. Cerlaia 
passwords are also used in common in both sections, and of these, none apprars 
to be more familiar than the word "Nu-oh-lac," or the name "Calhoun," sjult 
backward, and which is employed upon entering a temple of the first degrei' of 
the Order of American Knights — certainly a fitting password to such dens of 
treason. 

Besides the signs of recognition, there are signs of warning and danger, for use 
at nio-ht, as well as by day; as, for instance, signs to warn members of the ■a\)- 
proach of United States officials seeking to make arrests. The order has al>o 
established what are called battle-signals, by means of which, as it is asserteil, a 
member serving in the army may communicate with the enemy in the field, and 
thus escape personal harm in case of attack or capture. The most recent of tin -e 
signals represented to have been adopted is a five-pointed copper star, worn uinltr 
tlie coat, which is to be disclosed upon meeting an enemy, who will thus recdL^- 
nize in the wearer a sympathizer and an all}'. A similar star of German sih ( r, 
hung in a frame, is said to be numerously displayed by members or their faniili"s 
in private houses in Indiana, for the purpose of insuring protection to their pro- 
perty in case of a raid or other attack; and it is stated that in many dwellings in 
that State a portrait of John Morgan is exhibited for a similar purpose. 

Other signs are used by members, and especially the officers of the order in 
their correspondence. Their letters, when of an official character, are generally 
conveyed by special messengers, but when transmitted through the mail are 
usually in cipher. When written in the ordinary manner, a character at the foot 
of the letter, consisting of a circle with a line drawn across the center, signifies to 
the member who receives it that the statements as written are to be understood 
in a sense directly opposite to that which would ordinarily be conveyed. 

It is to be added that the meetings of the order, especially in the country, are 

generally held at night and in secluded places; and that the approach to them is 

. carefully guarded by a line of sentinels, who are passed only by means of a special 

.countersign, which is termed the "picket." \ 

I 
VI. — ITS WRITTEN PRINCIPLES. 

The ^'■Declaration of Principles,'' which is set forth in the ritual of 
the order, has already been alluded to. This declaration, which is 
specially framed for the instruction of the great mass of members, 
commences with the following proposition: 

"All men are endowed by the Creator with certain rights, equal 
as far as there is equality in the capacity for the ajipreciation, enjoy- 
ment, and. exercise of those rights." And subsequently there is 
-..added: "In the Divine economy no individual of the human race 
•must be permitted to incumber the earth, to mar its aspects of trans- 
cendent beauty, nor to impede the progress of the physical or intel- 
lectual man, neither in himself nor in the race to which he belongs. 
Hence, a people, upon whatever plane they may be found in the 
ascending scale of humanity, whom neither the divinity within them 
nor the inspiration of divine and beautiful nature around them can 
impel to virtuous action and progress onward and upward, should be 
subjected to a just and humane servitude and tutelage to the superior 
race until they shall be able to aj^preciate the benefits and advantages 
■ of civilization." 

Here, expressed in studied terms of hypocrisy, is the whole theory 



IN INDIANA. 73 

of human bondapcc — the right of the strong, because they arc strong, 
todispoil and enslave the weak, because they are weak! The lan- 
guages of earth can add nothing to the coward'lj-and loathsome base- 
ness of the doctrine, as thus announced. It is the robber's creed 
sought to be nationalized, and would push back the hand on the dial 
plate of our civilization to the darkest period of human history. It 
must be admitted, however, that it famishes a fitting "corner-stone" 
for the government of a rebellion, every fiber of whose bod}- and 
every throb of whose soul is born of the traitorous ambition and 
slave-pen inspirations of the South. 

To these detestable tenets is added that other pernicious political 
theory of State sovereignty, with its necessary fruit, the monstrous 
doctrine of secession — a doctrine which, in asserting that in our fed- 
erative system a part is greater than the Avhole, would compel the 
General Government, like a Japanese slave, to commit hari-kari 
whenever a faithless or insolent State should command it to do so. 

Thus, the ritual, after reciting that the States of the Union are 
"free, independent, and sovereign,'' proceeds as follows: 

"The government designated the United States of America, has no 
sovereignti/, because that is an attribute with which the people, in their 
several and distinct political organizations, are endowed, and is in- 
alienable. It was constituted by the terms of the comjjact, by all the 
States, through the express will of the people thereof, respectively — 
a common agent, to use and exercise certain named, specified, defined, 
and limited powers which are inherent of the sovereignties within 
those States. It is permitted, so tar as regards its status and rela- 
tions, as common agent in the exercise of the powers carefullj- and 
jealously delegated to it, to call itself 'supreme,' but not ^ sovereign.^ 
In accordance with the principles upon which it is founded the 
American theory, government can exercise only delegated power; 
hence, if those who shall have been chosen to administer the govern- 
ment shall assume to exercise powers not delegated, they should be 
regarded and treated as usurpers. Tlie reference to 'inherent power,' 
'war power,' or 'military necessity,' on the part of the functionary 
for the sanction of an arbitrary exercise of power by him, we will not 
accept in palliation or excuse.'' 

To this is added, as a corollary, "it is incompatible with the history and nature 
of our sj'stem of government, that Federal authority should coerce by arms a 
sovereign bjtate." 

The declaration of principles, however, does not stop here, but proceeds one 
step further, as follows: 

"AVhenever tiie chosen officers or delegates shall fail or refuse to administer 
the Government in strict accordance with the letter of the accepted Constitution-, 
it is the inherent right and the solemn and imperative duty of the people to resist 
the functionaries, and, if need be, to expel them bij force of arms ! I^uch resistance 
is not revolution, but is solely the assertion of right — tiie exercise of all the noble 
attributes which impart honor and dignity to manhood." 

To the same effect, though in a milder tone, is the platform of the order in 
Indiana, put forth by the Grand Council at their meeting in P>bruary last, which 
declares that "the right to alter or abolish their government, whenever it fails to 
secure the blessings of liberty, is one of the inalienable rights of the people that 
can never be surrendered." 

Such, then, are the principles which the new member swears to observe and 



74 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

abide by in his obligation, set forth in the ritual, where he says: "1 do solemnly 
promise that I will ever cherish in my heart of hearts the sublime creed of the 
E. K., (Excellent Knights,) and will, so far as in me lies, illustrate the same in 
my intercourse with men, and will defend the principles thereof, if need be, with 
my life, whensoever assailed, in my own country first of all. I do further 
solemnly declare that I will never take up arms in behalf of any government 
which does not acknowledge the sole authority or power to be the will of the 
governed." 

TJie following extract from the ritual, may also be quoted as illustrating the 
principle of the right of revolution and resistance to constituted authority insisted 
upon by the order. 

"Our swords shall be unsheathed whenever the great principles which we aim 
to inculcate and have sworn to maintain and defend are assailed." 

Again : " I do solemnly promise, that whenever the principles which our order 
inculcates shall be assailed in my own State or country, I will defend these prin- 
ciples with my sword and my life, in whatsoever capacity may be assigned me by 
the competent authority of our order." 

And further: "I do promise that I will, at all times, if need be, take up arms 
in the cause of the oppressed — in my own country first of all — against any jjower 
or government usurped, which may be found in arms and waging war against the 
people or peoples who are endeavoring to establish, or have inaugurated, a gov- 
ernment for themselves of their own free choice." 

Moreover, it is to be noted that all the addresses and speeches of its leaders 
breathe the same principle, of the right of the forcible resistance to the Govern- 
ment, as one of the tenets of the order. 

Thus, P. C. Wright, Suprem.e Commander, in his general address of December, 
I860, after urging that "the spirit of the fathers may animate the free minds, the 
brave hearts, and still unshackled limbs of the true democracy' (meaning the 
members of the order), adds as follows: "To be prepared for the crisis now ap- 
proaching, we must catch from afar the earliest and faintest breathings of the 
spirit of the storm ; to be successful when the storm comes, we must be watchful, 
patient, brave, confident, organized, armed." 

Thus, too, Dodd, Grand Commander of the order in Indiana, quoting, in his 
address of February last, the views of his chief, Vallandigham, and adopting 
them as his own, says: 

"He (Vallandigham) judges that the Washington power will not yield up its 
power until it is taken from them by an indignant people hy force of arrns." 

Such, then, are the written principles of the order in which the neophyte is in- 
structed, and which he is sworn to cherish and observe as liis rule of action, 
when, with arms placed in his hands, he is called upon to engage in the over- 
throw of his Government. This declaration — first, of the absolute right of slavery; 
second, of State sovereignty and the right of secession ; third, of the right of arm- 
ed resistance to constituted authority on the part of the disaffected and the dis- 
loyal, whenever their ambition may prompt tliem to revolution — is but an asser- 
tion of that abominable theory which, from its first enunciation, served as a 
pretext (or conspiracy after conspiracy against the Government on the part of 
Southern traitors, until their detestable plotting culminated in open rebellion and 
bloody civil war. What more appropriate password, therefore, to be commimi- 
•cated to the new member upon his first admission to the secrets of tlie order 
"could have been conceived, than that which was actually adopted — "Calhoun! " 
— a man who, bafiled in his lust for power, with gnashing teeth turned upon the 
Government that had lifted him to its highest honors, and upon the country that 
had borne him, and down to the very close of his fevered lile labored incessantly 
to scatter far and wide the seeds of that poison of death now upon our lips. The 
thorns which now pierce and tear us are of the tree he planted. 



IN INDIANA. 75 

VII — ITS SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND OPERATIONS. 

From the principles of the order, as thus set forth, its ,c:eneral pur- 
pose of co-operatino; with the rebellion may readily be inferred, and, 
in fact, those principles could logically lead to no other result. This 
general purpose, indeed, is distinctly set forth in the personal state- 
ments and confessions of its members, and particularly of its prom- 
inent officers, who have been induced to make disclosures to the 
Government. Among the most significant of these confessions are 
those already alluded to, of Hunt, Dunn, and Smith, the heads of the 
order in Missouri. The latter, whose statement is full and explicit, 
sa3's: "At the time I joined the order I understood that its object 
was to aid and assist the Confederate Government, and endeavor to 
restore the Union as it was prior to this rebellion." He adds: "The 
order is hostile in every respect to the General Government, and 
friendly to the so-called Confederate Government. It is exclusively 
made up of disloyal persons — of all Democrats who are desirous of 
securing the independence of the Confederate States with a view of 
restoring the Union as it was." 

It would be idle to comment on such gibberish as the statement 
that "the independence of the Confederate States" was to be used as 
the means of restoring "the Union as it was;" and yet, under the 
manipulations of these traitorous jugglers, doubtless the brains of 
many have been so far muddled as to accej^t this shameless declara- 
tion as true. 

But proceeding to the specific purposes of the order, which its leaders 
have had in view from the beginning, and which, as will be seen, it 
has been able, in many cases, to carry out with very considerable 
success, the following are found to be the most pointedly presented 
by the testimony: 

1. Aiding Soldiers to Desert and Harboring and Protecting Deserters. — 
Early in its history the order essayed to undermine such portions of 
the army as were exposed to its insidious approaches. Agents were 
sent by the Knights of the Golden Circle into the camps to introduce 
the order among the soldiers, and those who became members were 
instructed to induce as many of their companions as possible to de- 
sert, and for this purpose the latter were furnished by the order with 
money and citizens' clothing. Soldiers who hesitated at desertion, 
but desired to leave the army, were introduced to lawyers who en- 
gaged to furnish them some quasi legal pretext for so doing, and a 
certain attorney" of Indianapolis, named Walpole, who was particu- 
larly conspicuous in furnishing facilities of this character to soldiers 
who applied to him, has boasted that he has thus aided five hundred 
enlisted men to escape from their contracts. Through the schemes 
of the order in Indiana whole companies were broken up — a large 
detachment of a battery company, for instance, deserting on one oc- 
casion to the enemy with two of its guns — and the camps were 
imbued with a spirit of discontent and dissatisfaction with the service. 
Some estimate of the success of these eftbrts may be derived from a 
report of the Adjutant General of Indiana, of January, in 1863, set- 
ting forth that the number of deserters and absentees returned to the 



76 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

army through the post of Indianapolis alone, during the month of 
December, 18G2, was nearly two thousand six hundred. 

As soon as arrests of these deserters began to be generally made, writs of habeas 
corpus were issued in their cases by disloyal judges, and a considerable number 
were discharged thereon. In one instance in Indiana, where an otiicer in charge 
of a deserter properly refused to obey the writ, after it had been suspended in such 
cases by the President, his attachment for contempt was ordered by the Chief 
Justice" of the State, who declared that "the streets of Indianapolis might run 
with blood, but that he would enforce his authority against the President's order." 
On another occasion certain United States othcers who had made the arrest of 
deserters in Illinois were themselves arrested for kidnapping, and held to trial 
by a disloyal judge, who at the same time discharged the deserters, though 
acknowledging them to be such. 

Soldiers "upon deserting, were assured of immunity from punishment and pro- 
tection on the part of the order, and were instructed to bring away with them 
their arms, and, if mounted, their liorses. Details sent to arrest them by the 
military authorities, were in several cases forcibly resisted, and where not unusu- 
ally strong in numbers, were driven back by large bodies of men, subsequently 
generally ascertained to be members of the order. Where arrests were eft'ected, 
our troops were openly attacked and fired upon on their return. Instances of 
such attacks occurring in Morgan and Rush counties, Indiana, are especially no- 
ticed by General Carrington. In the case of the outbreak in Morgan county, J. 
S. Bingham, editor of the Indianapolis Sentinel, a member or friend of the order, 
sought to forward to the disloyal newspapers of the West false and inflammatory 
telegraphic dispatches in regard to tlie affair, to the efiect that cavalry had been 
sent to arrest all the Democrats in the county, that they had committed gross 
outrages, and that several citizens had been shot; and adding "ten thousand 
soldiers can not hold the men arrested this night. Civil war and bloodshed are 
inevitable." The assertions in this dispatch were entirely false, and may serve to 
illustrate the fact heretofore noted, that a studious misrepresentation of the acts 
of the Government and its officers is a part of the prescribed duty of the mem- 
bers of the order. It is proper to mention that seven of the party in Morgan 
county, who made the attack upon our troops, were convicted of their ofiense by 
a State Court. Upon their trial it was proved that the party was composed of 
members of the Knights of the Golden Circle. 

One of the most pointed instances of protection afforded to deserters occurred 
in a case in Indiana, wdiere seventeen entrenched themselves in a log cabin with 
a ditch and palisade, and were furnished with provisions and sustained in their 
defense against our military authorities for a considerable period by the order or 
its friends. 

2. Discouraging Enlistments and resisting the Draft. — It is especially inculcated 
by the order to oppose the re-enforcement of our armies, either by volunteers or 
drafted men. In lb62, the Knights of the Golden Circle organized generally to 
resist the draft in the Western States, and were strong enough in certain locali- 
ties to greatly embarrass the Government. In this year and early in 1(S63 a 
numiber of enrolling officers were shot in Indiana and Illinois. In Blackford 
county, iTidiana, an attack was made upon the court-house, and the books con- 
nected with the draft were destroyed. In several counties of the State a consider- 
able military force was required for the protection of the United States oiticials, 
and a large number of arrests were made, including that of one Reynolds, an ex- 
Senator of the Legislature, for publicly urging upon the populace to resist the 
conscription — an offense of the same character, in fact, as that upon which Val- 
landigham was apprehended in Ohio. These outbreaks were no doubt, in most 
cases, incited by the order and engaged in by its members. In Indiana nearly 
two hundred persons were indicted for conspiracy against the Government, re- 
sisting the draft, etc., and about sixty of them were convicted. 

When members of the order were forced into the army by the draft, they were 
instructed, in case they were prevented from presently escaping, and were obliged 



IN INDIANA. 77 

to go to the field, to use their arras a<ralnst their fellow-soldiers rather than the 
enem}'^ or, if possible, to desert to the enemy, by whom, through the signs of the 
order, they would be recognized and received as friends. Whenever a member 
volunteered in the army he was at once expelled from the order. 

3. Circvlation of DUloyal and Treasonable Publications. — The order, especially 
in Missouri, luas secretly circulated throughout the country a great quantity of 
treasonable publications, as a means of extending its own power and influence, 
as well as giving encouragement to the disloyal and inciting them to treason. Of 
these, some of the principal are the following: Pollards Southeryi Hisfori/ of the 
War, Offldal Reports of the Confederate Government, Life of Stonewall Jackson, 
pamphlets containing articles from llie Metropolitan Record, Abraham Africanus, 
1 or ilJi/steries of the W kite House, The Lincoln Catechism, or a Guide to the Pfesi- 
' dential Election of 1864, Indestnictible Organics, by Tirga. These publications 
■ have generally been pirocured by formal requisition drawn upon the grand com- 
mander by leading members in the interior of a State. One of these requisitions, 
dated June 10th last, and drawn by a local secretary of the order at Gentryville, 
I Missouri, is exhibited in the testimony. It contains a column of the initials of 
! subscribers, opposite whose names are entered the number of disloyal publica- 
tions to be furnished, the particular book or books, etc., required being indicated 
by fictitious titles. 

4:. Communicating ivith, and giving Intelligence to, the jE'ne/?iy.— Smith, 
Grand Secretary of the order in Missouri, says, in his confession: 
"Rebel spies, mail carriers, and emissaries have been carefully pro- 
tected by this order ever since I have been a member." It is shown 
in the testimony to be customary in the rebel service to emplo}^ mem- 
bers of the order as spies, under tlie guise of sokliers furnished with 
furloughs to visit their homes within our lines. On coming within 
the territory occupied by our forces, the}'^ are harbored and supplied, 
with information by the order. Another class of spies chiim to be 
deserters from the enemy, and at once seek an opportunity to take 
the oath of allegiance, which, however, though voluntarily taken, 
they claim to be administered while the}' are under a species of duress, 
and, therefore, not to be binding. Upon swearing allegiance to the 
Government, the pretended deserter engages, witli the assistance of 
the order, in collecting contraband goods or procuring intelligence to 
be conveyed to the enemy, or in some other treasonable enterprise. 
In his official report of June 12th last. Colonel Sanderson remarks: 
"This department is filled with rebel spies, all of whom belong to 
the order." 

In Missouri regular mail communication was for a long period 
maintained through the agency of thfe order from St. Louis to Price's 
army, by means of which private letters, as well as official dispatches 
between him and the Grand Ct)mmander of Missouri, were regularly 
transmitted. The mail-carriers started from a point on the Pacific 
railroad, near Kirkwood station, about fourteen miles from St. Louis, 
and, traveling only by night, proceeded (to quote from Colonel San- 
derson's report) to "Mattox Mills, on the Maramee river, thence past 
Mineral Point to Webster, thence to a point fifteen miles below Yan 
Buren, whei-e they crossed the Black river, and thence to the rebel 
lines." It is, probably, also by this route that the secret correspond- 
ence, stated by the witness Pitman to have been constantly kept up 
between Price and Vallandigham, the heads of the order at the North 
and South, respectively, was successfully maintained. 

A similar communication has been continuously held with the en- 



78 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

emy from Louisville, Kentucky. A considerable number of women 
in that State, marly of them of high position in rebel societ_^, and 
some of them outwardly professinij; to be loyal, were discovered to 
have been actively engaged in receiving and forwarding mails, with 
the assistance of the order and as its instruments. Two of the most 
notorious and successful of these, Mrs. Woods and Miss Cassell, have 
been apprehended and imprisoned. 

By means of this correspondence with the enemy, the members of 
tlie order were promptly apprised of all raids to be made by the forces 
of the ftjrmer, and were able to hold themselves prepared to render 
aid and comfort to the raiders. To show how efficient for this purposu 
was the system thus established, it is to be added that our military 
authorities have, in a number of cases, been informed, through mem- 
bers of the order emplo3'ed in the interest of the Grovernment, of im- 
pending raids and im])ortant army movements of the rebels, not only 
days, but sometimes weeks, sooner than the same intelligence could 
have reached them through the ordinary channels. 

On the other hand, the system of espionage kept ujd by the order, 
for the purpose of obtaining information of the movements of our 
own forces, etc., to be imparted to the eneniy, seems to have been as 
perfect as it was secret. The Grand Secretary of the order in Mis- 
souri states, in his confession: "One of the special objects of this 
order was to place members in steamboats, ferry-boats, telegraph 
offices, express offices, department headquarters, j)rovost marshal's 
office, and, in fact, in every jDosition where they could do valuable 
service;" and he proceeds to specify certain members who, at the 
date of his confession (August 2d last), were enij^loyed at the express 
and telegraph offices in St. Louis. 

5. Aiding the Enemy ^ ly Recruiting for them, or assisting them to Recruit, 
within our lines. — This has also been extensively carried on by members of the 
order, particularly in Kentucky and Missouri. It is estimated that two thousand 
men were sent iSouth from Louisville alone during a few weeks in April and May, 
3864. The order and its friends at that city have a permanent I'und, to wliich 
there are many subscribers, for the purpose of fitting out with pistols, clothing, 
money, etc., men desiring to join the Southern service; and, in the lodges of the 
order in St. Louis and Northern Missouri, money has often been raised to pur- 
chase horses, arms and equipments for soldiers about to be forwarded to the 
Southern army. In the latter State, parties empowered by Price, or by Grand 
Commander Hunt as his representative, to recruit for the rebel service, were nom- 
inally authorized to '''' locate lands" && it was expressed, and in their reports, 
which were formally made, tiie number of acres, etc., located represented the 
number of men recruited. At Louisville, those desiring to join the Southern 
forces were kept hidden, and supplied with food and lodging until a convenient 
occasion was presented lor their transportation South. They were then collect- 
ed, and conducted at night to a sate rendezvous of the order, whence they were 
forwarded to their destination, in some cases stealing horses h'om the United 
States corrals on their way. While waiting an occasion to be sent South, the 
men, to avoid the suspicion which might be excited by their being seen together 
in any considerable number, were often employed on farms in the vicinity of 
Louisville, and the farm of one Grant in that neighborhood (at whose house, also, 
meetings of the order were held), is indicated in the testimony as one ot the 
localities where such recruits were rendezvoused and employed. 

The same facilities which were afibrded to recruits for the Southern army were 
also furnished by the order to persons desiring to proceed beyond our lines for 



IN INDIANA. 79 

any illegal purpose. By these Louisville was generally preferred as a point of 
departure, and, on the Missitisippi river, a particular steamer, the Graham, was 
selected as the safest conveyance. 

6. Furnishing the Rebels with Arms, Ammunition, etc. — In this, too, the order, 
and especially its female members and allies, has been sedulously engaged. The 
rebel women of Louisville and Kentucky are represented as having rendered the 
most valuable aid to the Southern army, by transporting large quantities of per- 
cussion caps, powder, etc., concealed upon their persons, to some convenient 
locality near the lines, whence they could be readily conveyed to those for whom 
they were intended. It is estimated that at Louisville, up to May 1st last, the 
sum of $17,000 had been invested by the order in ammunition and arms, to be 
forwarded principally in this manner to the rebels. In St. Louis several firms, 
who are well known to the Government, the principal of which is Beauvais &Co., 
have been engaged in supplying arms and ammunition to members of the order, 
to be conveyed to their Southern allies. Mary Ann Pitman, a reliable witness, 
and a member of tlie Order of American Knights, who will hereafter be specially 
alluded to, states in her testimony that she visited Beauvais & Co. three times, 
and procured from them on each occasion about $80 worth of caps, besides a 
number of pistols and cartridges, which she carried in person to Forrest's com- 
mand, as well as a much larger quantity of similar articles which she caused to 
be forwarded by other agents. The guerrillas in Missouri also receive arms from 
St. Louis, and one Douglas, one of the most active conspirators of the Order of 
American Knights in Missouri, and a special emissary of Price, was arrested 
while in the act of transporting a box of forty revolvers by railroad to a guerrilla 
camp in the interior of the State. Medical stores in large quantities were like- 
wise, by the aid of the order, furnished to the enemy, and a "young doctor" 
named Moore, said to be now a medical inspector in the rebel army, is mentioned 
as having "made $75,000 by smuggling medicines " — principally from Louisville 

-through the lines of our army. Supplies were, in some cases, conveyed to the 
enemy through the medium of professed loyalists, who, having received permits 
for that purpose from the United States military autliorities, vvould forward their 
goods as if tor ordinary purposes of trade, to a certain point near the rebel lines, 
where, by the connivance of the owners, the enemy would be enabled to seize 
them. 

7. Co-operating icith the Enemy in Raids and Invasions. — While it is 
clear that the order has given aid, both directly and indirectly, to the 
forces of the rebels, and to guerrilla bands, when engaged in making 
incursions into the border States, yet because, on the one hand, of 
the constant restraint upon its action exercised by our military au- 
thorities, and, on the other, the general success of our armies in the 
field over those of the enemy, their allies at the North have never 
thus far been able to carry out their grand plan of a general armed 
rising of the order, and its co-operation on an extended scale Avith the 
Southern forces. This plan has been two-fold, and consisted, first, of 
a rising of the order in Missouri, aided by a strong detachment from 
Illinois, and a co-operation with a rebel army under Price; second, 
of a similar rising in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, and a co-oj^era- 
tion with a force under Breckinridge, Buckner, Morgan, or some other 
rebel commander, who was to invade the latter State. In this case 
the order was first to cut the railroads and telegraph wires, so that 
intelligence of the movement might not be sent abroad and the trans- 
portation of Federal troops might be delayed, and then to seize upon 
the arsenals at Indianapolis, Columbus, Springfield, Louisville, and 
Frankfort, and, furnishing such of their number as were without 
arms, to kill or make prisoners of department, district, and post com- 



80 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



manders. release the rebel prisoners at Rock Island, and at Camps 
Morton, Douglas, and Chase, and thereupon join the Southern army 
at Louisville or some other point in Kentucky, Avhich State was to be 
permanently occupied by the combined force. At tlie period of the 
movement it was also proposed that an attack should be made upon 
Chicago by means of steam-tugs mounted with cannon. A similar 
course was to bo taken in Missouri, and Avas to result in the perma- 
nent occupation of that State. 

This scheme has long occupied the minds of members of the order, 
and has been continually discussed by them in theii* lodges. A rising 
somewhat of the character described was intended to have taken 
place in the spring of this year, simultaneously with an expected ad- 
vance of the arm}^ of Lee upon Washington; but the plans of the en- 
emy having been anticipated by the movements of our own generals, 
the rising of the conspirators was necessaril}' postponed. Again, a" 
general movement of the Southern forces was expected to occur about 
July 4, an(i with this the order was to co-operate. A speech to be 
made by Vallandigham at the Chicago Convention was, it is said, to 
be the signal for the rising; but the postponement of the convention, 
as well as the failure of the rebel armies to engage in the anticipated 
movement, again operated to disturb the programme of the order. 
During the summer, however, the grand plan of action above set forth 
has been more than ever discussed throughout the order, and its suc- 
cess most confidently predicted, while, at the same time, an extensive 
organization and preparation for carrying the conspiracy into effect 
have been actively going on. But, up to this time, notwithstanding 
the late raids of the enemy in Kentucky, and the invasion of Mis- 
souri by Price, no such general action on the part of the order as was 
contemplated has taken place — a result, in great part, owing to the ac- 
tivity of our military authorities in strengthening the detachments at 
the prisons, arsenals, etc., and in causing the arrest of the leading con- 
spirators in the several States, and esjDecially in the seizure of large 
quantities of arms which had been shipped for the use of the order in 
their intended outbreak. It was doubtless on account of these pre- 
cautions that the day last appointed for the rising of the order in In- 
diana and Kentucky (August IG) passed by with but slight dis- 
order. 

It is, how^ever, the inability of the public enemy, in the now de- 
clining days of the rebellion, to initiate the desired movement which, 
has prevented the order from engaging in open warfare; and it has 
lately been seriously considered in their councils whether they should 
not proceed with tlieir revolt, relying alone upon the guerrilla bands 
of Syphert, Jesse, and others, tor support and assistance. 

With these guerrillas the order has always most readily acted along 
the border, and in cases of capture by the Union forces of Northern 
members of the order engaged in co-opei*ating with them, the guer- 
rillas have frequently retalliated by seizing in-ominent Union citizens 
and holding them as hostages for the release of their allies. At other 
times our Government has been officially notified by the rebel au- 
thorities that if the members of the order captured were not treated 
by us as ordinary j)risoners of war, retalliation would be resorted to. 



IN INDIANA. 81 

An atrocious plan of concert between members of the order in In- 
diana and certain guerrilla bands of Kentuckj', agreed upon last 
spring, maj^ be here remarked upon. Some two thousand five hun- 
dred or tliree thousand guerrillas were to be thrown into the border 
counties, and were to assume the character of refugees seeking em- 
ployment. Being armed, they Avere secretly to destroy Government 
property wherever practicable, and subseqiientlj^ to control the elec- 
tions by force, prevent enlistments, aid deserters, and stir up strife 
between the civil and military authorities. 

A singular feature of the raids of the enemy remains only to be adverted to, 
viz.: that the officers conducting these raids are furnished by the rebel (lovern- 
ment with quantities of United State Treasury notes for use within our lines, and 
that these are probably most frequently procured through the agency of members 
of the order. 

Mary Ann Pitman states that Forrest, of tlie rebel army,-at one time exhibited 
to her a letter to liimself from a prominent rebel sympathizer and member of the 
order in Wasiiington, D. C, in which it was set forth that tlie sum of $20,000 in 
"greenbacks" had actually been forwarded by him to the rebel Government at 

j Richmond. 

1 8. Destrvciion of Government Property. — There is no doubt that large quanti- 
ties of Government profjerty have been burned or otherwise destroyed by the 

J agency of the order in ditierent localities. At Louisville, in the case of the steamer 
Taylor, and on the Mississippi river, steamers belonging to the United States have 
been burned at the wharves, and generally when loaded with Government stores. 
Shortly before tlie arrest of Bowles, the senior of I he mnjor generals of the order 
in Indiana, lie had been engaged in the preparation of " Greek Fire," which, it 
was supposed, would be found serviceable in the destruction of public property. 
It was generally understood in the councils of the order in the State of Kentucky 
that they were to be compensated for such destruction by the rebel Government, 
by receiving a commission of ten per cent, of the value of the property so de- 

istroyed, and that this value was to be derived from the estimate of the loss made 
in each case by Northern newspapers. 

9. Destruction of Private Property and Persecution of Loyal Men. — It is re- 
ported by General Carrington that the full development of the order in Indiana 
was followed by "a state of terrorism" among the Union residents of " portions 
of Brown, Morgan, Johnson, Rush, Clay, Sullivan, Bartholomew, Hendricks, and 
other counties" in that State; that from some localities individuals were driven 
away altogether; that in others their barns, hay and wheat racks were burned; 
and that many persons, under the general insecurity of life and property, sold 
their effects at a sacrifice and removed to other places. At one time in Brown 
county, the members of the order openly threatened the lives of all "Abolitionists" 
who refused to sign a peace memorial which they had prepared and addressed to 
Congress. In Missouri, also, similar outrages committed upon the property of 
loyal citizens are attributable in a great degree to the secret order. 

*JJere the outbreak of the miners in the coal districts of Eastern Pennsylvania, 
in the autumn of last year, may be appropriately referred to. It was fully shown 
in the testimony adduced, upon the trials of these insurgents, who were guilty of 
the destruction of property and numerous acts of violence, as well as murder, that 
they were generally members of a secret treasonable association, similar in all 
respects to the Knights of the Golden Circle, at the meetings of which they had 
been incited to the commission of the crimes for which they were tried and con- 
victed. 

10. Assassination and Murder. — After what has been disclosed in 
regard to this infiimous league of traitors and ruffians, it will not be 
a matter of surprise to learn that the cold-blooded assassination of 
Union citizens and soldiers has been included in tlieir devilish scheme 



82 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

of operations. Green B. Smith states in his confession that "the se- 
cret assassination of United States officers, soldiers, and Government 
employes, has been discussed in the conncils of the order and recom- 
mended " It is also shown in the course of the testimony that at a 
large meeting of the order in St. Louis, in May or June last, it was 
proposed to form a secret police of members for the purpoee of ])a- 
trolling the streets of that city at night and killing every detective 
and soldier that could be readily disposed of; that this proposition 
was coolly considered, and finally rejected, not because of its fiendish 
character — no voice being raised against its criminality — but because 
only it was deemed premature. At Louisville, in June last, a similar 
scheme was discussed among the order for the wa3'laying and butch- 
ering of negro soldiers in the streets at night ; and in the same month 
a part}' of its members in that city was actually organized for the 
purpose of throwing off the track of the Nashville railroad a train of 
colored troops and seizing the opportunity to take the lives of as 
many as possible. Again, in July the assassination of an obnoxious 
provost marshal, by betrajnng him into the hands of guerrillas, was 
designed by members in the interior of Kentucky. Further, at a 
meeting of the Grand Council of Indiana at Indianapolis on June 14 
last, the murder of one Coffin, a Government detective, who, as it was 
supposed, had betra^'ed the order, was deliberately discussed and 
unanimously determined upon. This fact is stated by Stidger in his 
report to General Carrington of June 17 last, and is more fully set 
forth in his testimony upon the trial of Dodd. He deposes that at the 
meeting in question, Dodd himself volunteered to go to Hamilton, 
Ohio, where Coffin was expected to be found, and there "dispose of 
the latter." He adds that j^rior to the meeting, he himself conveyed 
from Judge Bullitt, at Louisville, to Bowles and Dodd, at Indian- 
apolis, special instructions to have Coffin "put out of the way" — 
"murdered " — "at all hazards." 

The opinion is expressed by Colonel Sanderson, under date of July 
12 last, that "the recent numerous cold-blooded assassinations of 
military officers and unconditional Union men throughout the mili- 
tary district of North Missouri, especially along the western border," 
is to be ascribed to the agency of the order. The witness Pitman 
represents that it is " a part of the obligation or understanding of the 
order'' to kill officers and soldiers " whenever it can be done by stealth," 
as well as loj^al citizens when considered important or influential per- 
sons; and she adds that, while at Memphis, during the past summer, 
she knew that men on picket were secretly killed by members of the 
order approaching them in disguise. 

In this connection may be recalled the wholesale assassination of 
Union soldiers by members of the order and their confederates at 
Charleston, Illinois, in March last, in regard to which, as a startling 
episode of the rebellion, a full report was addressed from this office 
to the Pi-esident, under date of July 26 last. This concerted mur- 
derous assault upon a scattered body of men. mostly unarmed — ap- 
pai-ently designed for the mere purpose of destroying as many lives 
of Union soldiers as possible — is a forcible illustration of the utter 
malignity and depravitj' which characterize the members of this order 



IN INDIANA. 



83 



in their zenl to commend themselves as allies to their fellow-conspira- 
tors at tlie South. 

11. E.^lahlishment of a Noriliwcsfern Confederacy. — In concluding this review 
of some of tlie principal specific purposes of the order, it remains only to remark 
upnn a further design of many of its leading members, the accomjjlisliinent of 
which tliey are represented as having deeply at heart. Hating New England and 
jealous of her influence and resources, and claiming that the interests of the 
West and South, naturally connected as they are through the Mississippi valley, 
are identical ; and actuated further by an intensely revolutionary spirit as well as 
an unbridled and unprincipled aml)ition, these men have made the establishment 
of a Western or Northwestern Confederacy, in alliance with the South, the grand 
aim and end of all their plotting and conspiring. It is with this steadily in pros- 
pect that they are constantly seeking to produce discontent, disorganization, and 
civil disorder at the North. With this in view, they gloat over every reverse of 
the armies of the Union, and desire that the rebellion shall be protracted until 
the resources of the Government shall be exhausted, its strength paralyzed, its 
currency hopelessly depreciated, and confidence everywhere destroyed. Then, 
from the anarchy which, under their scheme, is to ensue, the new Confederacy is 
to arise, which is either to unite ilself with that of the South, or to form there- 
with a close and permanent alliance. Futile and extravagant as this scheme may 
appear, it is yet the settled pui-pose of many leading spirits of the secret con- 
spiracy, and is their favorite subject of thought and discussion. Not only is this 
scheme deliberated upon in the lodges of the order, but it is openly proclaimed. 
Members of the Indiana Legislature, even, liave publicly announced it, and avowed 
that they would take their own State out of the Union, and recognize the inde- 
pendence of the South. A citizen captured by a guerrilla band in Kentucky last 
summer, records the fact that the establishment of a new confederacy as the de- 
liberate purpose of the Western people was boastfully asserted by these outlaws, 
who also assured their prisoner that in the event of such establishment there 
would be "a greater rebellion than ever!" 

Lastly, it is claimed that the new Confederacy is already organized; that it has 
a "provisional government," oflicers. departments, bureaus, etc., in secret opera- 
tion. No comment is necessary to be made upon this treason, not now contem- 
plated for the first time in our liistory. Suggested by the present rebellion, it is 
the logical consequence of the ardent and utter sympathy therewith which is the 
life and inspiration of the secret order. 

VIII. — THE WITNESSES AND THEIR TESTIMONY. 

The facts detailed in the present report have been derived from a 
great variety of dissimilar sources, but all the witnesses, however 
different tiieir situations, concur so pointedly in their testimony, that 
the evidence which has thus been furnished must be accepted as of 
an entirely satisfactory character. 

The principal witnesses may be classified as follows: 
1. Shrewd, intelligent men, employed as detectives, and with a pe- 
culiar talent for their callin;;, who have gradually gained the confi- 
dence of leading members of the order, and in some cases have been 
admitted to its temples and been initiated into one or more of the 
degrees. The most remarkable of these is Stidger, formerly a pri- 
vate sroldier in our army, who, by the use of an uncommon address, 
though at great personal risk, succeeded in establishing such intimate 
relations with Bowles, Bullitt, Dodd, and other leaders of the organ- 
ization in Indiana and Kentucky, as to be appointed Grand Secretary 
fer the latter State, a position the n)08t favorable for obtaining in- 
formation of the plans of these traitors and warning the Government 



84 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

of tlieir intentions. It is to the rare fidelity of this man, who has 
also been the principal Avitness upon the trial of Dodd, that the Gov- 
ernment has been chiefly indebted for the ex^josure of the designs of 
the conspirators in the two States named. 

2. Reliel officers and soldiers, voluntarily or involuntarily, making disclosures 
to our military autliorities. The most valuable witnesses of this class are pris- 
oners of" war, who, actuated by laudable motives, have of their own accord fur- 
nislied a large amount of information in regard to the order, especially as it ex- 
ists in the South, and of the relations of its members with those of the Northern sec- 
tion. Among these, also, are soldiers at our prison camps, who, without design- 
ing it, have made known to our officials, by the use of the signs, etc., of the order, 
that they were members. 

3. Scouts employed to travel through the interior of the border States, and also 
within or in the neighborhood of tiie enemy's lines. The fact that some of these 
were left entirely ignorant of the existence of the order, upon being so employed, 
attaches an increased value to their discoveries in regard to its operations. 

4. Citizen prisoners, to whom, while in confinement, disclosures were made rela- 
tive to the existence, extent, and character of tlie order by fellow prisoners who 
were leading members, and who, in some instances, upon becoming intimate with 
the witness, initiated him into one of the degrees. 

5. Members of the order, who, upon a full acquaintance with its principles, 
have been appalled by its infamous designs, and have voluntarily abandoned it, 
freely making known their experience to our military authorities. In this class 
may be placed the female witnes.s, Mary Ann Pitman, who, though in arrest at 
the pei'iod of her disclosures, was yet induced to make them for the reason that, 
as slie says, "at the last meeting which I attended they passed an order which 1 
consider as utterly atrocious and barbarous; so I told them I would have noth- 
idg more to do with theui." This woman was attached to the command of the 
rebel FoiTest, as an officer under tlie name of " Lieutenant Rawley ;" but because 
lier sex afforded her unusual facilities for crossing our lines, she was often em- 
ployed in the execution of important commissions within our territory, and, as a 
member of the order, was made extensively acquainted with other members, both 
of the Northern and Southern sections. Her testimony is thus peculiarly val- 
uable, and, being a person of unusual intelligence and force of character, her 
statements are succinct, pointed, and emphatic. They are also especially useful 
as fully corroborating those of other witnesses regarded as most trustworthy. 

6. Officers of the order of high rank, who have been prompted to present con- 
fessions, more or less detailed, in regard to tlie order and their connection with 
it. The_ principals of tliese are Hunt, Dunn, and Smith, Grand Commander, 
Deputy Grand Commander, and Grand Secretary of the order in Missouri, to 
whose statements frequent reference has been made. These confessions, though 
in some degree guarded and disingenuous, have furnished to the Government 
much importantinformation as to the operations of the order, especially in Missouri, 
the affiliation of its leaders with Price, etc. It is to be noted that Duim makes 
the statement in common with other witnesses that, in entering the order, he was 
quite ignorant of its ultimate purposes. He says: " I did not become a member 
understandingly ; the initiatory step was taken in the dark, without reflection 
and witiiout knowledge." 

7. Deserters from our army, who upon being apprehended, confessed that they 
had been induced and assisted to desert by members of the order. It was, indeed, 
principally from these confessions that tiie existence of the secret treasonable or- 
ganization of the Knights of the Golden Circle was first discovered in Indiana, in 
the year 1862. 

8. Writers of anonymous communications, addressed to heads of departments 
or provost marshals, disclosing facts corroborative of more important statements. 

9. The witnesses before the grand jury at Indianapolis, in 1863, when the order 
was formally presented as a treasonable organization, and those whose testimony 
has been recently introduced upon the trial of Dodd. 



IN INDIANA. 



85 



It need only be added that a most satisfactory test of the credibility and weight 
of uiuch of the evidence which has been furnished is afforded by the printed test- 
imony in regard to the character and intention of the order, which is found in its 
National and State constitutions and its ritual. Indeed, the statements of the 
various witnesses are but presentations of the logical and inevitable consequences 
and results of the principles therein set forth. 

In concluding this review, it remains only to state that a constant reference 
has been made to the elaborate official reports, in regard to the order, of Brigadier 
General Carrington, commanding District of Indiana, and of Colonel Sanderson, 
Provost Marshal General of the Department of Missouri. The great mass of the 
testimony upon the subject of this conspiracy has been furnished by these officers; 
the latter acting under the orders of Major General Rosecrans, and the former 
co-operating under the instructions of the Secretary of War, with Major General 
Burbridge, commanding District of Kentucky, as well as with Governor Morton, 
of Indiana, who, though at one time greatly embarrassed, by a Legislature 
strongly tainted with disloyalty, in his efforts to repress this domestic enemy, 
has at last seen his State relieved from the danger of a civil war. 

Hut, although the treason of the order has been thoroughly exposed, and 
although its capacity for fatal mischief has, by means of the arrest of its leaders, 
the seizure of its arms, and the other vigorous means which have been pursued, 
been seriously impaired, it is still busied with its plottings against the Govern- 
ment, and with its perfidious designs in aid of the Southern rebellion. It is re- 
ported to have recently adopted new signs and passwords, and its members assert 
that foul means will be used to prevent the success of the Administration at the 
coming election, and threaten an extended revolt in the event of the re-election 
of President Lincoln. 

In the presence of the rebellion and of this secret order — which is but its echo 
and faitliful ally — we can not but be amazed at the utter and widespread profli- 
gacy, personal and political, which these movements against the Government 
disclose. The guilty men engaged in them, after casting aside their allegiance, 
seem to have trodden under foot every sentiment of honor and every restraint of 
law, human and divine. Judea produced but one Judas Iscariot, and Rome, 
from the sinks of her demoralization, produced but one Catiline; and yet, as 
events prove, there has arisen together in our land an entire brood of such trait- 
ors, all animated by the same paracidal spirit, and all struggling with the same 
relentless malignity for the dismemberment of our Union. Of this extraordinary 
phenomenon— not paralleled, it is believed, in the world's history — there can be 
but one explanation, and all these blackened and fetid streams of crime may 
well be traced to the same common fountain. So fiercely intolerant and imperi- 
ous was the temper engendered by slavery, that when the Southern people, after 
having controlled the national councils for half a century, were beaten at an 
election, their leaders turned upon the Government with the insolent fury with 
which tliey would have drawn their revolvers on a rebellious slave in one of their 
negro quarters; and they have continued since to prosecute their warfare, amid 
all the barbarisms and atrocities naturally and necessarily inspired by the infer- 
nal institution in whose interests they are sacrificing alike themselves and their 
country. Many of these conspirators, as is well known, were fed, clothed, and 
educated at the expense of the nation and were loaded with its honors at the very 
moment they struck at its life with the horrible criminality of a son stabbing the 
bosom of its own mother while impressing kisses on his cheeks. The leaders of 
the traitors in the loyal States, who so completely fraternize with these conspira- 
tors, and whose machinations are now unmasked, it is as clearly the duty of the 
Administration to prosecute and punish as it its duty to subjugate the rebels 
who are openly in arms against the Government. In the performance of this 
duty, it is entitled to expect, and will doubtless receive, the zealous co-operation 
of true men everywhere, who, in crushing the truculent foe ambushed in the 
haunts of this secret order, should rival in courage and faithfulness the soldiers 
who are so nobly sustaining our flag on the battlefields of the South. 



THE TIMES 

OF 

THE REBELLION 

nsr 

KEJS'TUCKY. 



"Kentucky was the first state to enter the union, and will be the 
last to leave it," has long been a popular expression in that common- 
wealth to indicate the loyalty of her people. In this attachment to the 
anion we perceive some of the influences of a master mind. Had 
Henry Clay never lived, it is extremely doubtful whether Kentucky 
would have remained loyal to our common country. His influence there 
for the right may be compared to that of John C. Calhoun in South Car- 
olina for the wrong — both were idolized by their respective peoples : the 
Qame of Henry Clay stands with the nation as one whose aff'ections 
were filled with the idea of the gior}" and welfare of the American 
republic : that of John C. Calhoun, as one believiug in a government 
Pounded upon an oligarchy, the most terrible of all desi)otism8 — yet 
a man of purer personal character has rarely been known. 

The impression made by Clay was strengthened by the lamented 
Crittenden, who, by words and deeds until his latest breath, proved 
himself to be a true j^atriot, for when Buckner, Marshall, Breckin- 
ridge and many othei's threw their influence on the side of the rebel- 
lion, he remained "faithful among the faithless." 

Kentucky socially sympathized with the south, in consequence of 
the common bond, slavei-y: and extensive family ties, the results of 
a large southern emigration. The young men of the state who had 
come on the stage since the decease of Mr. Clay, were more generally 
southern in their sympathies than their fathers. The governor of the 
state, the late vice president and many leading politicians were of the 
same school. When the rebellion broke out the position of Kentucky 
was extremely precarious. For months it seemed uncertain on which 
side of the balance she would finally throw her weight. When hostil- 
ities were first inaugurated thousands of her brightest young men left 
to volunteer in the secession army; very few joined that of the union. 
With her northern frontier lying for hundreds of miles alongside the 
.powerful free states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, containing nearly 
five times her own population, Kentucky might well pause before she 
decided to bring upon her soil the horrors of civil war. That she suf- 
fered to any considerable degree was mainly owing to the disloyalty 
of a part of her population. 

6 87 



6S TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

When upon the fall of Sumtei", a call for 75000 troops was mado 
from the loyal states to defend the flag of the country, she refused to |j 
furnish her quota. Her governor, Beriah Magoffin, replied to Secretary | 
Cameron — "Kentucky will furnish no troops for the wicked purpose 
of subduing her sister southern states." On the 20tli of May he issued 
a proclamation of neutrality to the people of Kentucky, forbidding 
alike the passage of troops of the United States or of the Confederate 
States, over the soil of the state, or the occupation of any point within 
it, and declaring the position of Kentucky to be one of self defense 
alone. , The state senate also passed resolutions to the same effect and 
tendered the services of Kentucky as a mediator between the govern- 
ment and her intended destroyers. 

On the 9th of June the convention of the border slave states, holden 
at Frankfort, of wliich Hon. J. J. Crittenden was president, and con- 
sisting of one member from Tennessee, four from Missouri and twelve 
from Kentucky, issued an address to the nation, in which they declare 
that something ought to done to quiet apprehension within the slave 
states that already adhere to the Union. The people of Kentucky are 
advised to adopt a neutral course and to mediate between the contend- 
ing parties. 

On the 8th of June, Gen. S. B. Buckner, commanding the state 
guard of Kentucky, entered into an ai-rangement with Gen. Geo. B. 
McClellan, commander of the U. S. troops north of the Ohio, by which 
the neutrality of Kentucky was guaranteed ; that if the soil of the 
state was invaded by the confederate forces, it was only in the event 
of the ftxilure of Kentucky to remove them, that the forces of the U. S. 
were to enter. 

On the 15th of June, Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner wrote to Gov, 
Magoffin, that as the Tennessee troops under Gen. Pillow were about 
to occupy Columbus, on the Mississippi, he had called out a small mil- 
itary force to be stationed at that place and vicinity. These consisted 
of six comj)anies of the state guard under Col. Lloyd Tilghman, osten- 
sibly summoned into service "to carry out the obligation of neutrality 
which the state had assumed." Two months later Gov. Magoffin ojDened 
a correspondence with President Lincoln on this subject of "Kentucky 
neutrality ;" the former complaining of the formation of union military 
camps in the state. The president replied that these were composed 
entirely of Kentuckians (home guards), having their camps in the im- 
mediate vicinity of their own homes, which had been formed at the 
earnest solicitation of many Kentuckians. "I most cordially," said 
Mr. Lincoln, "sympathize with your excellency in the wish to jDre- 
serve the peace of my native state Kentucky. It is with regret I 
search and can not find in your not very short letter, any declaration 
or intimation that you entertain any desire for the j)reservation of the 
federal union." 

At the election held early in August, the vote showed that Kentucky 
was largely for the union. In the western portion, in which the 
slaveholding interest was the strongest, the majority of the j)eople 
were secessionists : the county of Trigg alone supplied 400 men to the 
rebel army. 

Notwithstanding the drain of hot-blooded young men to the rebel 
■side, Kentucky had furnished to the union cause to the beginning of 



IN KENTUCKY. 



89 



^i-'. 76,335 troops, of which 01,317 were whites, and 14,918 colored, 
'e this, thousands of her citizens in various parts of the state were, 
■^ the rebellion, actively emploj-ed as home guards, state guards, 

;ii ■ forces, etc., in buttling against a common foe, which the successive 
i\ : -ions of the state bj the enemy, and the distressive guerrilla raids 
la'c necessary! And her union officers, JS'elson, Wood, Eousseau, 
anby, Wolford, Jacobs, Fry, Bm-bridge, Crittenden, Garrard and 
thers performed most efficient service on the fields of blood. 

On the 2d of September, the state legislature met at Frankfort, three 
mrths of the members being unionists. On the 5th, the confederate 
)rces under Gen. Polk took possession of Columbus. About the same 
|me Gen. Grant from Cairo, acting under the orders of Gen. Fremont, 
mded a body of union trooj^s at Paducah. Prior to this the neutrality 
f Kentucky had been respected by both parties. ISTo troojDS for the 
efense of the union had been encamped upon her soil, other than 
lome guards; and many of these were secretly secessionists. The 
rst and second Kentucky regiments, composed mostly of citizens of 
'hio had rendezvoused at Camj) Clay, near Cincinnati; and a body 
f Kentucky volunteers under General Lovell S. Eousseau, an eloquent 
rator of the state, had foi'med a camp on the Indiana shore opposite 
louisville. On the 12th, the legislature, by a vote of three to one, 
emonstrated their loyalty by directing the governor to order out the 
lilitary power of the state, to drive out and expel "the so-called 
)uthern confederate forces." At the same time, General Eobert An- 
erson, who had been ordered to the command of the troops of this 
epartment, was requested to immediately enter upon the active dis- 
tiarge of his duties. 

Gen. Buckner, in command of the state guard, being in sympathy 
dth the rebellion, had seduced to their cause a large number of the 
oung men of Kentuck}^, and, at this time, came out openly for seces- 
ion, taking with him thousands who had been armed under the guise 
f protecting the state from the invasioi\ of either union or rebel 
:'Oops. In an address, issued at Eussellville on the 12th, he said — 
Freemen of Kentucky, let us stand by our own lovely land. Join 
nth me in expelling from our firesides, the armies which an insane 
espotism sends among us to subjugate us to the iron rule of puri- 
anical ISTew England." 

This man Buckner, and his fellow-conspirator, Breckini*idge, can 
ever be forgiven by the union loving people of Kentucky, for the 
lanner in which the youth of the state were ensnared into the ranks 
f treason thi"Ough their wicked ambition. What mother or sister can 
ead the fate of this one j)oor boy, as related by Gen. Eousseau, with- 
ut a tear to his memory; and a burning anathema upon his mur- 
erers? 

Two days after the battle of Shiloli, I walked into the hospital tent on the 
round where the fiercest contest had taken place, and where many of our men 
nd those of the enemy had fallen. The hospital was exclusively for the wounded 
cbels. and they were laid thickly around. Many of them were Kentuckians, of 
Jreckinridcje's command. As I stepped into the tent and spoke to some one, I 
ras addressed by a voice, the childish tones of which arrested my attention: 

That's General Rousseau! General, T knew your son Dickey. Where is Dick? 

knew him very well ? " 

Turning to him, I saw stretched on the ground a handsome boy about sixteen 



90 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



years of aire. His face was a bright one, but the hectic s}ow and flush on the 
cheeks, his restless manner, and his grasping and catching his breath, as lie 
epoke, alarmed me. I knelt by his side and pressed his fevered brow with my 
hand and would have taken the child into my arms if I could. " And who are 
you, my son?" said I. " Why, I am Eddy McFadden, from Louisville," was the 
reply. " 1 know you, general, and I know your son Dick. I have played with 
him. Where is Dick?" 

I thought of my own dear boy, of what might have befallen him ; that he, too, 
deluded by villains, might, like this poor boy, have been mortally wounded, among 
strangers," and left to die. My heart bled for the poor child, ft^r he was a child; 
my manhood gave way, and burning tears attested, in spite of me, my intense 
sufiering. 

1 asked him of his father? He had no father. Your mother? He had no 
mother. Brothers and sisters? "I have a brother," said he. "I never knew 
what soldiering was; 1 was but a boy, and they got me ofl" down here " He was 
shot through the shoulder and lungs. I asked him what he needed. He said he 
was cold, and the ground was hard. I had no tents, no blankets; our baggage 
was all in the rear at Savannah. But I sent the poor boy my saddle blanket and 
returned the next morning with lemons for him and the rest; but his brother, in 
the second Kentucky regiment, had taken him over to his regiment to nurse him. 

1 never saw the child again. He died in a day or two. Peace to his ashes. 
I never think of this incident that 1 do not till up as if he were my own child. 

Kentucky was, fit this time, comparatively defenseless. Great fears 
were entertained that Buckner would advance from Russellville by tlie 
Kashville railroad, and sieze upon Louisville. If we may believe the 
reports of the time, he had his plans laid to appear suddenly in that 
city with a powerful force. They had provided, it was said, for trans- 
portation, no less than four hunclred cars, fifteen locomotives, and had 
eight thousand men, with artillery and camp equijjage. At a station 
just beyond Cireen river, a loyal young man in the service of tlie 
road, frustrated their plans by wrenching, with a crow-bar, four rails 
from the track. This threw the train otF, and caused a detention of 
twenty-four hours, and thus saved the city. On the 21st, Buckner d('- 
Btroycd several locks and dams on Green river, as a niilitarj^ measure. 
These had been constructed at an immense expense, and opened a 
river market for tlie whole of the large population of that section. 
In one night they were remorselessly annihilated by this "renegade 
Kcntuckian." Later, he destnn'ed the elegant and costly iron rail- 
road-bridge over the same river. 

In the latter part of September, the brigade of Eousseau advanced 
down on the line of the Nashville railroad to protect Louisville from 
invasion, and large bodies of volunteers from the free states of the 
west were pushed forward, during the autumn and early winter, into 
the state — located at diiferent camps and subjected to a severe disci- 
pline. The most prominent of these was camp Dick Eobinson, in 
Gari'ard county, south of Lexington; at Paducah, on the lower Oliio; 
anil Munfordsville, on the Lexington and Nashville railroad. 

The rebels held positions in the southern part of the state; at Co- 
lumbus, on the Mi.'ssissippi ; at Bowling-green, on the Nashville rail- 
road ; at and near Cumberland Gap, at' the southeastern angle of the 
etate; and on the head Avaters of the Big Sandy, on the Virginia line. 

Early in October, Gen. Anderson was succeeded in command of this 
department by Gen. W. T. Sherman. The months of anxiety and 
care incident upon the defense of Fort Sumter had so shattered liis 



IN KENTUCKY. 



91 



health and nervous system as to render Gen. Anderson incapable 
of attending to the arduous duties of this position. 

On the 16th, Gen. Sherman was visited by Secretary Cameron, and in the re- 
port of the interview between them, made by Adjutant-jreneral Thomas, General 
Sherman gave " a gloomy picture of affairs in Kentucky." He represented that 
"the young men were generally secessionists and had joined the confederates, 
while the union men, the aged and conservatives would not enrol themselves to 
engage in conflict with their relations on the other side. But few regiments could 
be raised, lie said tliat Buckner was in advance of Green river with a heavj' 
force on the road to Louisville, and an attack might be daily expected, which, 
with the force he had, he would not be able to resist; but, nevertheless, he would 
fight them." He was then "of the opinion, that an army of 200,000 men would 
be necessary to cope with the enemy in the west." 

Such was the feeble estimate of the strength of the rebels, alike by the govern- 
ment and the people, that this apparently exaggerated view met with unmeasured 
ridicule. Some of the public prints, in a spirit of malevolence, stated he was in- 
sane; and, for a time, it passed into popular belief. Sherman, who knew — as 
but few men know — the power, and the intense burning hate of the rebels, could 
but feel to the inmost depths of his strong nature the force of the couplet: 

"Truths would ye teach to save a sinking land, 
Most shun you, few listen, and none understand." 

Stung by neglect and obloquy, this proud, earnest-hearted man resigned, and 
to give place to Gen. Don Carlos Buell. 

Three years later, away in the far south, an union army was marching in the 
mud and rain over miles of dreary road, when some soldiers observing an officer 
laying by the path with his face hidden among the rising weeds, exclaimed, " there 
lies one of our generals dead drunk! " whicli overhearing, tlie latter raised upon 
his elbow and with a kindly voice, and in low, depressed tones, replied: "i\'o< 
drunk, boi/s ! but weak and weary in working for our country and for you!'' 
Great events then passing, demonstrated the \Nisdom, and greater fields than the 
department of Kentucky, the transcendent genius of Sherman in war. 

The secessionists of the state, in December, formed a provisional 
government, with Geo. W. Johnson, subsequently killed nt^Shiloh, as 
governor. They sent delegates to the rebel congress, at Richmond; 
and that body recognized Kentucky as a member of the southern con- 
federacy. • 

Skirmishes. — During the autumn, various skirmishes occr.rred at 
different points in Kentucky, between the rebels and ur.ionists. The 
most prominent of these occurred to the union forces ui'der General 
Schoepf, at camp Wild Cat, in Laurel county, on the 21st of October. 
This was a position in south-eastern Kentucky, on the route to Cum- 
berland Gap, selected to give protection to the union men of that 
mountain region. A hill, half a mile cast of the camp, was occupied 
by detac-hments of the 33d Indiana, 17th and 14th Ohio, and \\ ol- 
ford's Kentuckv cavalry. They were attacked by several regiments 
of Gen. Zollicoirer"s command, who made two separate, resolute, and 
unsuccessful attempts to carry the position. The union loss was 4 
killed and 21 wounded ; that of the enemy was much greater as I.) 
corpses were found on the field. Two days later Len. Harris 2d Ohio, 
supported by two G-pounders and a company of cavalry, surprised a 
body of 700 rebels, at West Liberty, in 3iorgau county, killing 10 ot 
them, and scattering the remainder. On the 8th ot November, Col. 
John S. Williams, who had gathered about 2.000 rebels at Ivy creek, 
'01 Pike county, near the A^irginia line, was attacked and routed by a 



92 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

part of N'elson's brigade, consisting of the 2d and 21st Oliio and Met 
calfe's Kentuckians. The enemy's loss was about 00. 

pisastrous Setreat.— Gen. Schoepf's brigade, called "the Wild-cat 
brigade,' at this period, were stationed at London, in Laurel county 
the object being to ultimately make an attack on Cumberland Gap 
and enter East Tennessee to give relief to the unionists of that region 
1< or this purpose, several hundred loyal Tennesseans had joined them 

On the 13th, Gen. Schoepf received orders to retrccat with all possible expedition 
to Lrab Orchard, and to bring on his sick, of whom he had a large number The 
retreat was disastrous, over the mountain roads and in the rain, bearin"- in "its as- 
pects the appearance of a routed and pursued army. It continued throuoh three 
days Ihe sick were jostled in open v/agons over horrible roads, and through 
swollen mountain torrents. The officers, without tents or shelter, were exposed 
day and night to the cold wintry rains of that elevated region. The sufferino-g of 
the men were so severe that several died from pure exhaustion: while others re- 
vived with shattered health and ruined constitutions. The Tennesseans, who had 
been brough up with the hope of soon returning to their homes, were especially 
indignant at this retrograde movement. *^ 

Whole platoons and companies of them at first refused to march " Som^ lav 
frnn? '' -'""""'^ ^'^/P'"^ "^« school-childreu, many madly cursed, as they broke 
fiom tie ranks, and a few stood with folded arms, leaning upon their nmskets 
while he contending passions of a soldiers fidelity and a love oVhoL we figh^ 
ing for mastery in their breasts. ' cic iij,uir 

wJre abnnrJ^'/'''' '"f'"'''^ p'^' P''"'' ^^ consequence of a report that the enemy 
weie about to advance from Bowlin-green in force, on Louisville. The sufi-erino^ 
and losses by it were equal to a defeat. The mord effect wtis disastrous for ?he 
for misS ' " ''^ ^''" "^'"■'"^^' ^"°" ^Sain arose in swarm's, read^ 

Fight at 3fynfordsviUe.~The first earnest fight in Central Kentucky 
took p ace, on the 17th of December, on Green river, near Mimford^ 
ville, at wluch point was stationed the division of GeA. McCook The 
Tnrtna Willi; .' y'"'^'"''' ^''^"•'^^^ting of four coumpanies of the 32d 
in liana, Wilbch s German regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Yon Treba 
Col. Terry's regiment of Texas rangers made several desperate 
charges; but were received with cool cSurage by the Germair One 
of the companies Capt. Welshbillig's, consisting o^f about sSmen were 
draM^up m n solid square, received three successive cl argeTof some 
200 of the rangers led on by Col. Terry, who,' seeming tVantic wfth 
St["M;i;t\'hov'. ^lin^ of the ba/onets, under the imil^esl^n^ 

the tl iS' ?hI} J ""'^i *'T1'^^ ^°^'' ^^^ ^^^'-^^l b^f"^'*^ them. At 
the thnd attack, their colonel was killed, upon which the whole col 

SacL^nfp-'"-^ ^''^ in dismay. The Germans lostThe br urLieu " 

tttemy^^r^^'^' ' ''^^' '^' '' ^^^^^^^^^^ '''^^ ^^^l-^' '^^one: of 

.h^n'''m'o™-^'f ■~?'''^^^ ^^ ^\^ ^"^^' ^1S<52) Col. Humphrey Mar- 
ffbrc4 of q"?r r,'^'^"-"f ' ^'''''' ''''^''^^ Kentucky, hid collected 
7^i.? S I ' ^ ''?!''''' '^ northeastern Kentucky, in the valley of the 

Tfo'i Uon^ cSd^ed^bv^l"'- ""^ '''' ''f' of^January lielc^uplSc 
fb?ks of Middle creok^ Tt''' '''''ir'i ^"l ^^'^^''^'^'^^'^^ of a hill at the 
Garfi'eld with non "" •''''■' ''^^^'-^'^'^ "^ the morning by Col. J. A. 

am] lib n oo ? {''''"' consisting of parts of the 40th and 42d Oh£ 

retreated -^driven i^^^^V^^i^ ^tZoZ^:^^:^Z 



IN KENTUCKY. 



93 



stores, and leaving 85 of his number dead on tlie iield. He acknowl- 
edged to a loss of 125 killed, and a greater number wounded; 25 
])risouers Avere taken. The union loss was only 1 killed, and 20 
wounded. 

This victory was OAving to the Admirable dispositions of Garfield, the inefficient 
fire-arms of the enemy, and the miserable firing of their artillery. Aside from 
this, thc}^ Averc attacked from a lower position, the smoke slowly ascendinii;, first 
disclosing the lower part of their bodies to the union soldiers beneath them, while 
the latter were concealed from view. 

This Col. Garfield w^as born near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1831. 

At the beginning of the war he was a clergyman and president of a collegiate 
institution, at Hiram, in northern Ohio. Physically, he is one of the most power- 
ful of men. He remained with his l)rigade on the Big Sandy for several months, 
winning laurels by his daring and energy against the enemy, whose camps he sur- 
prised and broke up, finally producing quiet in that mountain region. He rose 
rapidly in the service, became chief of .-^taff' to Rosecrans ; and was made major- 
general for distinguished services at Chickaraaugua. Later, he represented the 
northeastern district of Ohio in congress, and by a greater majority than any other 
member in the house. He at once won there a national reputation for eloquence 
and force of character. 

VICTORY AT MILL SPRINGS OR LOGAN's CROSS ROADS. 

In the beginning of the winter, Gen. Felix K. Zollicoifer, of Ten- 
nessee, crossed to the north side of Cumberland river, and built a for- 
tified camp at Beech Grove. From this point. Zollicoifer had issued a 
proclamation to the people of southeastern Kentucky, calling upon 
them to strike with the south for independence. He said they had 
come to repel the northern hordes who were attempting their subjuga- 
tion, with an ultimate design of freeing and arming their slaves and 
giving them political and social equality Avith the whites. 

Beech Grove is some 12 miles south of Somerset, in Pulaski, co., 
and 80 miles due south of Lexington. The position was a very strong 
one by nature, being across a "bend of the Cumberland, and it was 
greatly strengthened by earthworks. Three days before the battle, 
one of his officers wrote: " Our forces are, 10,000 infantry, 1,800 cav- 
alry, and 16 pieces of artillery. We are waiting for an attack. If 
they do not attack us, we shall advance upon them : we can whip 
50,600." 

At this time Gen. Schocpf had a few regiments at Somerset. It Avas 
arrano-ed that Gen. Thomas, A\'ho A\'ith his brigade Avas stationed at 
Coluu^bia, 35 miles west of this point, should join his command Avith 
that at Somerset, and the combined forces unite in an attack on the 
camp of the enemy. On Saturday, January 18th, part of the troops 
of both these officers, in all amounting to at)Out 7000 men had fonned 
a iunction at Loijan Cross Roads, scA^cn miles north of Zollicotter s 
camp and under Gen. Thomas. That night, an old lady of secession 
fiuicics, who had seen only one or tAVO regiments of the union troops, 
as they forded the stream by her cabin, mounted her pony and rode 
into the rebel camp with the pleasing tidings of an opportunity to sur- 
vrUe and " bao-" the invaders. This confirmed, m their view, the in- 
tollh--ence received that afternoon from their OAvn scouts, as to the 
smafl body of their enemy in front. M.vjor Gen George B. Critten en 
(son of Hon. J. J. Crittenden), who had arrived and taken the chiet 



94 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

command, called a council. It was resolved to march out and make 
the attack at da^^break. In perfect silence, at midnight, the march 
of the force began, consisting of 8 infentry regiments, viz: 6 Ten- 
nessee, 1 Alabama, and 1 Mississippi, and 2 batteries of artillery, a large 
force of cavalry, and several independent companies of infantry. 

About half past 5 o'clock, the next (Sunday) morning, the pickets 
from Wolfbrd's Kentucky cavalry being driven in, gave intelligence 
of the approach of the rebels. Fry's 4th Kentucky, Manson's 10th In- 
diana, and Wolford's cavalry, then engaged the enemy at the point 
where the road, from the camp of the latter to Somerset, forked. The 
enemy were advancing through a cornfield, and evidently endeavoring 
to gain the left of the 4th Kentucky, which was with spirit maintain- 
ing its position. McCook's 9th Ohio, under the immediate command 
of Major Kaemmei^ling and Van Cleve's 2d Minnesota came to the 
support of the others, while a section of Kinney's batter}^ took a po- 
sition on the edge of the field to the left of the 4th Kentucky, and 
opened an efficient fire on the advancing Alabama regiment. As the 
4th Kentucky and 10th Indiana were by this time nearly out of am- 
munition, the 2d Minnesota took their position, while the 9th Ohio, at 
the same time, occupied the right of the road, both regiments being 
under the command of Col. Eobt. L. McCook, of the 9th Ohio, acting 
brigadier. At this time, Ho&kins' 12th Kentucky, and some of the 
men of the Tennessee brigade reached the field, to the left of the Min- 
nesota regiment, and opened fire on the right of the enemy, who then 
began to fall back. The key to the enemy's position was in front of 
the 9th Ohio and 2d Minnesota, and the contest there was maintained 
bravely on both sides. Says McCook in his report : 

"On the right of the Minnesota regiment the contest, at first, was almost hand 
to hand ; the enemy and the 2d Minnesota were poking their guns through the 
Bame fence at each otlier. However, before the fight continued long in this way, 
that portion of the enemy contending with the 'Jd Minnesota regiment, retired in 
good order to some rail piles, hastily thrown t-gother, the point from which they had 
advanced upon the 4th Kentucky. This portion of the enemy obstinately main- 
taining its position, and the balance, as l)ef(u-e described, a desperate fight was con- 
tinued for about 30 minutes with seemingly doubtful result. The importance of pos- 
sessing the log house, stable and corncrib being apparent, companies A, B, C and D 
of the \tth Ohio, were ordered to flank the enemy upon the extreme left, and obtain 
possession (if the house, 'J'his done : still the enemy stood firm to his position and 
cover. Duriuii this time, the artillery of the enemy constantly overshot my brigade. 
Seeing the superior number of the enemy, and their bravery, I concluded the'best 
mode of settling the contest was to order the 9tli Ohio regiment to charge the ene- 
my's position with the bayonet, and turn his left flank. The order Avas given the reg- 
iment to empty their guns and fix bayonets. This done, it was ordered to charge. 
Every man sprang to it. with alacrity and vociferous cheering. The enemy seem- 
ingly prepared to resist it, buf before the regiment reached him, the lines com- 
menced to give way; ])ut few of them stood, possibly ten or twelve. This broke 
the enemy's flank, and the whole line gave way in great confusion, and the whole 
turned into a perfect rout." 'J'his is remarkable for having been the first bayonet 
charge of the war. 

The entire division soon advanced under Gen. Thomas, and the en- 
emy, with scarcely the show of resistance, were driven into their in- 
trenchments, where they were cannonaded until dark. That night 
tliey secretly withdrew across the Cumberland, and fled into the interior. 
The Union forces, next morning, marched into theii- camp and took 



IN KENTUCKY. 97 

possession. The total union loss was 246, of whom 39, less than one 
sixth, were killed ; the small proportion of the latter, was owini;: to the 
inefficient arms of the enemy, many of whom bore only shot guns. 
Among our severely wounded were Col. McCook and his aid, Lieut. 
A. S. Burt. The enemy's loss in killed alone, as far as known, was 190; 
which, with the wounded and prisoners that fell into our hands, made 
a total of 349. The number of the enemy actually engaged was esti- 
mated at 7000, and the union forces at half that number. Spoils to 
the value of half a million of dollai-s fell into our hands — horses, mules, 
wagons, tents, cannon, arms, etc. This was the battle in which the 
distinguished Gen. Gfco. H. Thomas won his first laurels. 

Incidents. — Early in the action, while attempting to make a flank 
movement, Gen. ZoLlicoffer was killed, which greatly disheartened the 
enemy. 

His body fell into our hands, and -was found with several wounds. The fatal 
shot was from a pistol in the hands of Col. K S. Fry, of the 4th Kentucky. Hia 
body was subsequently returned, under a ll;\ir of truce, in an ele;iant coCin to his 
friends. He was about 48 years of aire, and had been a member of congress from 
Tennessee. He was a man of elegant form, and a general favorite in his state. 
Parson Brownlow said of him : " Now that he is dead and gone, I take occasion to 
say, that 1 have known him for twenty-live years, and a more noble, high-toned, 
honorable man, was never killed in any battle-field. He was a man \yho never 
wronged an individual out of a cent in his life— never told a lie in his life; as 
brave°a man personally as Andrew Jackson ever was, and the only mean thing I 
ever knew him to do was to join the t^outhern Confederacy and fight under such a 
cause as he was engaged in when he fell. ' 

Bailie Pevton, jr., another of the rebel dead, was shot while bravely urging on 
his men : '*' He was the son of a venerable Virginian, well known to the nation 
Youn.- Pevton, like his father, long struirirled against disunion. He was hissed 
and insulted in the streets of Kichmond, idter the full of t^umter, for telling his 
love of the old union." Col. Allan Battle, who commanded a Tennessee regment 
was another unwilling convert. He was e.iucated at an Ohio college, and marriea 
into one of tlie best known and respected Oliio families. In the summer previous 
he took his young wife to Nashville, intending soon to return north; .it his latner 
and Ijrothors were in the secession army, and he succumbed to the pressure, al- 
though he said he " hated the war, and felt unwilling to fight the best Iriends he 
had m the world, outside of his own family." 

A gentleman who was on the field, just after the battle, gives the.se 
interesting particulars : 

\U own brave bov was either among the slain or pursuing the flying foe. lu 
whi^Vof thrse poSm^l might find him, 1 knew not. With all the anxu.t.cs com- 
mon to parents I searched for his well-known countenance amoiig ^'^ ^ ; "^ J^° 
close wis the resemblance in many cases, that my pulse "j" J^" .f V" ' ' , l^-^/'^.'^S 
began to reel. 1 remembered that he vvore a pair o t^;"''^ "^ . f ^ ' ;;^ 'J^^^f^' l^- 
before 1 looked in the foce of a corpse 1 looked at the boots. ''' '^^1 dared toTt 
fident I had found what I sou^it. 1 looked again and again before 1 dared to let 

js:::a;^i^iss>^.7?^^^ 
ss^i;;;:^"wjftjw^";;n\:^^ 

'^'Z:^:'^'^mS^'^^^'^^:^^^^ scenes were horrid and r. 



98 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

volting in the extreme. Several of the dead were old and gray-headed men. A 
dark complexioned man, with a heavy black beard, who said he was from Missis- 
sippi, was lying on the ground with a broken thigh. He Avas stern and sullen — 
he had only one favor to ask — that was that some one of us would kill him. I 
said to him', we will soon take you to the surgeon, and do all we can to relieve you, 
for we are satisfied you have been deceived by wicked men, and do not know 
what you have been doing. To which he meekly replied — "that is possible," A 
young man, quite a boy, begged me not to let the Lincolnites kill him. A lad of 
fourteen, with a mashed ankle, protested his innocence, and begged to be taken 
care of He said he was pressed into the service, and had never fired a gun at a 
union man, and never would. Numbers of rebels made in eifect the same declar- 
ation. 

The Enemy's Camp. — On entering the enemy s entrenchments, we 
found the camp surrounded by a breastwork over a mile in circumfer- 
ence, with a deep ditch in front. 

"AVithin it seemed a city: houses, streets, lanes, stores, stables, everything complete, 
except the inhabitants. Chickens, pigs and turkeys were as numerous as are to be seen 
about a thrifty farmer's barn-yard. Over five hundred neat and well built log houses 
■were to be seen, with all the conveniences of house-keeping to be found about them — beds 
and bedding, clothing and furniture, trunks and boxes, provisions and groceries, were left 
untouched." 

"Everything bore the appearance of the proprietors having just stepped out, for a mo- 
ment, to soon again return. Horses were left hitched in the stables, and wagons left 
standing ready for necessary use. Every tent w:is left standing as when the master 
was at home. On going to the river bank, the number of three hundred wagons was there 
found standing, all loaded with camp equipnge, etc. Here, also, were found fourteen pieces 
of artillery, in perfect order for use ; they not even taking time to spike them, while on 
their flight." 

The Panic. — The enemy fled across the country, and scattered into 
the interior in a terrible panic and state of demoralization. The im- 
passable condition of the roads, j^revented a successful pursuit. 

A very graphic account of thefetreat is thus given by a ktdy living 
on the road, a short distance above Monticello : 

Early on Monday morning, they commenced passing along the road, and through the 
fields, some riding, some on foot. Some wagons had passed during the night. All who 
could seemed inclined to run. 

During the forepart of the day, men passing on foot had taken every horse, often with- 
out bridle or saddle ; at times a string was used in place of bridles. Not a horse was left 
along the road. One of their wagons would be passing alone a high road. Any one who 
would come along, cut a horse loose, mount and a way. Another would follow suit, until 
the wagoner was left with his saddle horse, and he would follow. She often saw as many 
as three men on one horse. About 11 o'clock .in the morning they commenced calling on 
her for food— said they had not tasted food since early Sunday morning. Strange looking 
men would lean against the yard fence, and call for a morsel of bread. " Oh," said they, " we 
have lost everything, we are ruined," and cried like children. One old man from Alabama, 
With two sons, stopped to rest a few moments. He could scarcely totter to a seat. He 
had been sick for months. When he started to go on she invited him to stay. " No," he 
said, " the Yankees are close after we, and icill cotch and kill me." Many others, sick and 
wounded, would stop a few moments, but none would remain. The dread Yankees would 
cotch and kill them. 

She told them Yankees never killed a captured foe; but, it had all no effect to cheek 
their mortal fear. One man passed with his brother on his back. Two would be leading 
and .supporting one. Three or four would be packing one. A great many wounded passed. 
One had an arm shot off, tied up with a rag, some of their wounds appeared to have been 
dressed by a surgeon. 

About ?, o'clock in the afternoon, some 400 had halted in a field nearby. Some "-unswere 
fared oil up the road, they rushed around, and into her house and kitchen, holding up their 
hands in terror, saying, they would be all killed for they could run no further, and their 
guns were thrown away. The firing was found to be a few of their own men shootin- off 

f.'w '^l''- •r!°'^^^/* V^ " '^""^ "^"y' ^"^* ^^'^y ^«i-° constantly expecting an attack. 

"AVell, ' said I, "Mrs. H., how did it affect you?" 

She said she would have helped to hang the last one, as they went up, with a <^ood will, 



IN KENTUCKY. 



99 



but their terrible fear and distressed condition made her forget, for the time, their being 
enemies, and she and her negroes cooked and fed, and occasionally dressed their wounds, 
tin long into the night. 

Had the enemy been victorious, tliey would have had but little dif- 
ficulty in marching upon Lexington, for the time crushing the union 
strength in the heart of Kentucky. The moral effect of this victory 
can scarcely be overestimated. It was the first of that chain of tri- 
umphs in the West, which opened the new year, and continued on 
without interruj)tion until after the fall of JN'ew Orleans. 

CAPTURE OF FORTS HENRY AND DONELSON. 

These forts, though both in Tennessee, just south of the state line, 
are so intimately connected with the history of the war in Ivcntucky, 
as to necessarily belong to it. 

Fort Henry was taken by the gun-boat fleet, under Com. Foote, on 
the 6th of February, 18G2, after a brisk engagement of one hour. The 
terms of the surrender were unconditional, and the victory, though al- 
most a bloodless one, proved to be of vast importance. When the at- 
tack was made, seven or eight thousand rebel soldiers were in the rifle 
pits, and behind the breastworks; but they became terror stricken — 
officers and men alike lost all self-control — they ran to escape the fear- 
ful storm of shot and shell, leaving arms, ammunition, tents, blankets, 
trunks, clothes, books, letters, j^apers, j)ictures, everything. All fled, 
excepting a brave little band in the fort. 

Com. Foote, who in this and subsequent engagements gained so much 
eclat, was born in Connecticut, the son of one of its governors, and had 
been in the service about forty years. 

At the beginning of the war he was transferred from the command of the navy 
yard, at Brooklyn, to that of the western flotilla. The religious characteristics 
of this veteran were remarkable. The Sunday after taking the fort, he attended 
the Presbyterian cinirch, at Cairo, and in the unexpected absence of the pastor, 
he officiated, seeming to be as much at home in preaching as in fighting. He ex- 
temporized an excellent discourse from the text, " Let not your hearts be troubled; 
ye believe in God, believe also in me." He raised his voice in humble acknow- 
ledgment to heaven for the victory, asked for future protection, and showed that 
happiness depends upon purity of" life, and a conscientious performance of duty. 

The capture of Fort Donelson was an affair of much more magnifi- 
cent proportions, and, beyond question, one of the grandest operations 
of this, or any other war. 

In the early summer of 1861, the rebels began the erection of a fort 
on the west bank of the Cumberland, 107 miles from its mouth ; 12 
miles east from Fort Henry, and a few miles south of the Kentucky 
line, which they named from the Andrew Jackson Donelson fomilyof 
Tennessee. It" was made the best military work on the southern riv- 
ers. Its object was to control the river navigation, and defend Nash- 
ville and central Tennessee. . 

The loater batteries, the most important, as commanding the river, 
were two, an upper and lower, excavated in the hill sides They were 
very formidable, the lower especially, in which were eight 32-pound- 
ers, and one 10-inch columbiad, throwing a 120-pound bal . It was 
protected against an enfilading fire by strong traverses left between 
the guns. Elevated thirty feet above the water, it gave a fine com- 



100 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



mancl of the river, and rendered an attack in front extremely arduous. 
The main fort, occupying many acres, was in the rear of these bat- 
teries, on a high hill cloven by a deep gorge toward the south. The 
outworks were rifle-pits, extending in a semicircular form from the 
river bank about a mile below, to the bank about a mile above the 
fort, embracing within its ujiper limits the town of Dover — in all, an 




t la 
xtreme 



FORT DONELSON. 
The view was taken on the day after its occupation by the union troops. The interior of the for 
^I't ';^"'";'"V' "' "'."'titude of log houses; in the foreground are officers' quarters, and ou the extre 
right Cumberland river. 

immense area. "It took me," writes one, "three hours to go around 
my horse walking fast." Along the front of this extensive line, the 
trees had been felled, and the brush cut and bent over breast hio-h 
making a wide abatis very difficult to pass through. The line of rifle- 
pits ran along an abrupt ridge of seventy-five or eighty feet, which 
was, m places, cut through by ravines making for the river Hund- 
reds of large, comfortable log-cabins, about 30 feet square, were within 
the area, with plenty of windows, chinked and daubed, presentino- the 
appearance of a populous frontier village. They were built with im- 
mense labor, without any expectation of a forcible ejectment by their 
sanguine architects. The nature of the ground was broken and irre<r. 
ular, inside and outside of the rifle-pits, made up of steep and loffy 
hills and ravines, with scarcely a level spot large as a parlor-floor in 
the whole of It. Withm the works, the woods had been generally 
cleared, and for a small space outside of it. Its topography was 
unknown to the union commanders. j- & i. ./ 

rAe^««^e._On Wednesday, the 12th of February, Gen. Grant left' 
Fort Henry with about 15,000 men, in two divisions, under Gens. Me- 
Clernand and Smith, for the vicinity of Fort Donelson, where they ar- 
rived at noon ; the distance across between the two rivers being twelve 
miles. He had sent six regiments under the convoy of one of the o-un- 
boats around by water. As these last had not arrived, the remainder 
of the day and all of the next was passed in skirmishing, in which the 
gun-boat Carondolet, under the direction of Gen. GrSAt, took part, 
and was repulsed after tM^o hours' cannonading. 

The investment, when completed, was made by Gen. McClernand's 
division forming the upper part of the extended line, his right rest- 
ing on Dover; that of Gen. Smith formed the lower jDart with a sub- 



IN KENTUCKY. IQ^ 

division under Gen. Lew. Wallace in the center. By Friday mornino- 
the reinforcements and fleet of gun-boats had arrived with the trans^ 
ports, from both Cairo and Fort Henry, adding about 10,000 fresh 
troops. That afternoon — the 14th — the gun-boats under Foote gal- 
lantly attacked the water batteries, and after a spirited battle of an 
hour and a half were repulsed. Upon this. Gen. Grant determined to 
strengthen his position and await the repair of the gun-boats ; but the 
enemy did not allow this procrastination, for on the next (Saturday) 
morning, the 16th, soon after daybreak, they advanced under cover of 
d deadly fire of artiller}^, and hurled themselves in an immense body 
against the extreme right, on McClernand's forces, striking first against 
the 8th and 41st Illinois, who received the shock with coolness, but 
eventually had to give way before superior numbers, who then suc- 
ceeded in capturing two batteries. The 18th, 29th, 30th, and 31st Ill- 
inois coming to their aid, with desperate valor retook all but three 
of the captured guns. Getting out of ammunition, they, too, were, 
like their comrades, compelled to fall back ; when the enemy, with 
loud cheers, pressing on outflanked their right. Col. Cruft with the 
17th and 25th Kentucky, and 31st and 44th Indiana came to their aid; 
when the 25th Kentucky, by a sad mistake, poured a slaughtering vol- 
ley into the 31st Illinois, causing a terrible loss, and increasing the 
confusion, and inspiriting the enemy to press on with redoubled vigor. 

Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, a little later, came up with the 11th, 20th, 
45th, and 48th Illinois, but was compelled to fall back, so completely 
had the enemy massed their forces. The enemy had accomplished all 
this, not by superior fighting qualities in the men, but by concentrat- 
ing a superior force upon a single point and overwhelming McCler- 
nand's brave Illinoisans in detail; no troops could have long with- 
stood the shock. 

These operations had occupied all the earlier part of the day. 
Things looked gloomy here, the union troops had been driven from 
their'position with the loss of 6 pieces of artillery; 4 colonels had 
been severely wounded; 3 lieut.-colonels killed and several more 
wounded; a great number of company officers killed and wounded, 
and several regiments almost annihilated. , . ^ , , 

At this juncture, Gen. Lewis Wallace thrust his 3d brigade m front of 
some retiring regiments, retreating in excellent order, and only retreat- 
ing from exhaustion of their ammunition. These formed in his rear and 
replenished their cartridge-boxes. The new front thus formed con- 
sisted of a Chicago artillery company under Lieut. P. P. A\ ood, the 1st 
Nebraska, 58th Illinois, 58th Ohio, and Davidson s company of the 32d 
Illinois. In their rear, within supporting distance, were the ibth 
Ohio, 46th, and 57th Illinois. "Scarcely had this formation been 
made," reports General Lewis Wallace, when some regiments of the 
enemV, " Attacked, coming up the road and t^^^'^^^S^j/^^f ij;,\^^t^^^^^ 
trees, mi both sides of it, and making the bat ery and the 1st Nebi aska 
the principal points of attack. They met this storm no ^^^^^^^^^ fij^^^: 
ing, and their fire was terrible. To say they did well i ^ot enough 
thiir conduct was splendid. They, alone repelled the charge. Ihe 
body of the enemy then fled pell-mell and m confusion. 

The enemv still held their gained position on ^^'l^'^^f^l.J^J^^^ 
they had driVen McClernand's main body. Gen. Grant hastened to 



102 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

meet the emergency by ordering Gen. Smith to assault the enemy's 
works on our left, and carry them at all hazards, while preparations 
were made on the right to gain the ground lost in the mornino- 
Cooke's brigade, comprising the 7th, 50th, and 52d Illinois, the 12th 
Iowa, and 13th Missouri, were ordered against one portion of the ene- 
my s lines and Lauman's brigade, comjDrising the 2d, 7th, and 14th 
Iowa, and 25th Indiana were led by Gen. C. F. Smith in person against 
another part of the works. 

The 2d Iowa, followed by the other regiments of the brigade led 
the advance of the column of attack, without firing a gun — the skir- 
mishers only doing that; and charged into the works, carry in o- the 
pos^ition at an immense loss, at the point of the bayonet. The Colors 
01 the 2d Iowa occupied the post of honor, the result of the desperate 
struggle, inspiring the wildest enthusiasm. 

Against the extreme right, Col. Smith shortly after moved the 8th 
Missouri, and nth Indiana, supported by the 31st and 41th Indiana, 
under Col. Cruft. Skirmishers led in the advance: the enemy ob- 
stinately contested the ground ; assailant and assailed, in several in- 
stances, sought cover behind the same tree. Up a lofty hill with out- 
cropping rock and dense underbrush, they drove them step by step 
The woods cracked with musketry. The 8th and 11th finally cleared 
the hill driving the rebel regiments before them fornearly a inile, into 
tiieir mtrenc-^imentsv It was now nearly sunset. The battle of Fort 

fafui'T f ^T'^'tt n?^' ^^'^* ™^™^"g the enemy surrender^ 
to the number of about 10,000, with Gen. Buckner at their head. In 

W^r' 'i'^ night Generals Pillow and Floyd, with some 2,000 men, 
had escaped across the river in steamboats. 

ofwtieh11r"T ''l'''^''^ '^^^ '""^i^^^t^ regiments of infantry; 
01 ^^hlch 13 were from Tennessee; 9 from Mississippi, 4 from Vir-inia 

weie 2 01 3 battalions from Alabama and elsewhere; 2 battalions of 
?^^no7\bl I'f^^^^^^^ of light artillery: in all, as r^ted ^(^em ' 
w A? T'/ 1 I'?, '"".T^-. ^^'""y ^^^« commanded by Gen. Floyd 
with Generals Pi low, Buckner and Johnson, under him The unfon 

tT T/i'^,?i ^^".' ^'^"^^' 2^1' wounded, 1,046, an^missinV 150 
The rebel killed and wounded was unknown missm^, iou. 

Details and Incidents. —In the gun-boat attack on Thursdav the 
same order was observed as in that upon Fort Henry- hf boat' 
forlef/^T ""'• ^^'r P'^^"-^^"-^ Bhot oVthe enemy wL too much 

muclVfh.t'eren became unmanagable, and others so 

awnv 'X^^^^^t^^at the commodore ordered the squadron to drop 
O^'^hnli 7''V'^.H'',F^^''t-^^^^^''^ ^^^^"^S- the action g ving his orders 
dore Wl 'T*^ '*' ^''^\''^ '^' P^^°t' ^'^^^1^ badly wounded t"he Commo: 
old vetein ^^l""^ ''''' '^ "'^^ ^°"^1-"^^ '^ -^-'^t- ^t is saM The 

fom.-h^ri''"^'"-^^!*'^ S^'*' ^^^^ ''^PP^ied ^^ describing this battle It wa<, 
es^w th : 7'Y '^T ^""^^^ ^^ '^'^' ^^^^ f^^ tl^^ -^ost par 1'; the for 
ab^ofthVp -tip^^^^^^^^^^ beneath, and regiments' acted, gener- 

Th.l.; ), P^^^^^P^® ol hitting a head wherever they could «?oe it 

«my enaei ect the building of fires dangerous. Tlae sol- 



IN KENTUCKY. " 103 



diers suffered greatly from the cold; on Friday night, a sleety ram 
turned to snow, and their wet clothing grew stiff with ice. By morn- 
ing: two inches of snow covered the ground. 

The ivoimded, in many instances, were not found under several 
davs for the line of battle extended several miles, over rough, uneven 
ground, rugged cliffs, high hills, deep valleys, thick underbrush and 
tome swamTs, which made the labor of hunting up and bringing them 
in exceedingly tedious. Many died from want of prompt assistance 
The wounded became stiff with cold, and covered with sleet and snow 
Part of the ^ime the thermometer had been only ten degrees above 
zero It is doubtful if suffering was greater, although it was longer, 
in the retreat of the French from Moscow. 

Eye witnesses give us many details. 

One says: "The snow wa8 so thoroughly saturated with ^^lo^-^' ^^f it seemed 
like red mud as you walked around in it. Men writhing in agony with their feet, 
arms orTe" s Srn off, many begging to be killed, and one poor fellow I saw deliri- 
ourwholau'hed hdeously as he pointed to a mutilated stump which had an 
Z'rto, been his arm., f old man, dressed in hom.pun ^^-h ^air^f - - 

Z^;:Z r K"wi'r&iSp, Lt detadi^d^rom the skull by a knife 

^X^i^l^a^S^^p^i^ii^'^P^n^h^ ^^^'^^' 

^vith gray, that had been between the leaves,^ h^n d. 

ani^l ire;p%;i-s!"triSrfor tl^e^ of he? son, who would 

"Tr^^Ji:^of^air,even more tli^ ^l^^^^J^^^^^S ^^^X 
vealed to the dying young man; and I/^,^^^"^^^^/ ,7tb^r?,;Hinds the sl^ores of 
his lips, as his eyes looked dim y across thejn sty sea tha^ ^^.^^^ ^^^^^ 

life and death ; as if he saw h>^ ^^ot^er r eh ng out to h^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^^^ 

hid nursed him in his infancy, to die, alas! figntin^ a ax 
counsels lose memory lived latest in his departing soul. 



fhey ik: iVj^st as.e.l. One wants shoes ^^^^':^Z^;:;U^er, and she thanks 
t before me now. Alas, for Andy's shoes ; --^^^^J^^^,^ health, and to keep hmse f 
Mm for them. One wants her l^-^f '^^^^^J'^tute th^ «ews of neighborhoods and here 
well-supplied with good, warm socks. They reU'e tn ^.^^^_ ^^^^ ,^ 

" „„./„ .„or,rioiA„s stories. Such writers, i dare .ay, » domestic cares. .Several 



are some scandalous stories. 



ie rw^k; ni^,;s'thin"king of ^^^-AJ^ -----, -- They -e pUinly wri^ 

runs through all their le"«"'/J„« ^/^Jt" £« ^^ °« "^^^'"^'"^ ''"' 
ten; the speUing is "°5°"^"=;;t' human feelings. \. 
warm with affection-that ^^.^J^^; ^^.^ ,,.. hui.an feelings, 

•Ere you proudly question omV 

exclaims the African captive. They have shown it. 



204 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

These letters are addressed to those now dead. Ten thousand other men, to whom simi- 
lar letters have been addressed, are carried away captive. It may be long before their 
families will learn whether those they love so well are prisoners in a cold, northern clime, 
or whether they lio in the cold, undistinguished grave. Many will die before peace re- 
turns. What agonizing hearts, what hopes long-delayed, will be found through the length 
and breadth of Middle Tennessee! Heavens I those are they who have separated fami- 
lies without a sigh — who have sold children, some of them of their own blood, to go to the 
plains of Texas, fathers to the rice swamps of the Carolinas, and mothers to the cotton 
fields of Mississippi and Alabama. 

The surrender was unexpected to our army, who were prepared, on 
Sunday morning, to storm the works along the whole line, and carry 
them at the point of the bayonet, though with the prospect of a heavy 
loss. 

'\ Cincinnati colonel, a room-mate of Jefferson Davis, at West Point, 
gives some items. 

Sunday morning, we were ordered to advance in the trenches of the enemy. I 
well understood tlie danger of the position. The men fell into ranks with cheer- 
fulness. We marched to the top of the hill, and took position behind the embank- 
ments of the enemy. The rebels had retreated a short distance, along the ridge, 
to another position. While thus standing, a messenger came with a request not 
to fire, as they were about to surrender. To test their truth, I sent the color com- 
pany, Capt. B. Wright, with the stars and the eagle (our two standards,) forward. 
They were allowed to proceed, and then our >i,?nners announced to all in sight 
that the contest was over. The enemy had surrendered, and I thanked God with 
deep emotion that we had thus been spared. Soon the regiments began to pour 
up the hill from every ravine, and, when we entered, we found large bodies of 
dimply clad and ununiformed men, with stacked arms, in surrender. P'rom the 
entire line, to the portion overlooked by the river, is about a mile and a half, and 
as the regiments were in sight of tlie river, with the gun-boats and the many 
steamers, cheer after cheer rose from the men in ranks who stood around. 

While stmding there a new cry was heard — a carrier came along crying, 
•'Cincinnati Commercial, Gazette, ?ir\i\ Times," and, as I sat upon my horse, I 
bought them and read the news from home, and this, too, within an hour after the 
fort had surrendered. 

The enemy soon vacated their quarters, and our weary troops, after four days' 
hard work, were allowed the shelter of the huts our enemies occupied, and had 
shelter, fire, and food. Many of the prisoners, as I rode among them, appeared 
glad to have the matter ended; but seemed to think they ought" to be allowed to 
go home forthwith. Officers seemed to think they should be allowed bide arms, 
horses, servants; at any rate, we ought to allow servants to go home. 

Many of our ofiScers — another writes — have discovered in the secession 
captives old friends and school companions in years gone by. A federal lieuten- 
ant has found his brother in the captain of a Tennessee company, who has re- 
sided in Nashville for many years, and married a Mississippi widow. Truly is 
this, in more than one sense, a fraternal strife. 

Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the commander of the union forces, was forty years old 
at this time. He was born in Clermont county, Ohio, educated at West Point, 
served in the Mexican war, and was three times breveted there for gallant conduct 
In 1854 he entered civil life. He went into the volunteer service from Hlinois. 
When Buckner opened a correspondence, prior to the surrender of Donelson, he 
proposed an armistice of six hours, to give time to agree upon terms for capitula- 
tion. Grant refused any other " than an unconditional and immediate surrender;" 
ending his laconic_ note with the words—'' I propose to move immediately vpon 
your icorl-s." This terse sentence, so crisp, sharp and resolute, was telegraphed 
through the land with unbounded approval, and at once took its place in history, 
as one of those few immortal lines that will never die. 

Gen. Charles F. Smith gained great eclat bv the splendid manner in which he 
led the storming party into the works of the enemy. Apparently indifferent to the 
Btorm ot bullets which rained about him, he went ahead of his troops on horse- 



IN KENTUCYT, ^Q^ 

back, and haveheaded, witli liis hat raised above him en the point of his sword 
Such a fearless example, inspired his men with an irresistible enenry before 
which the enemy fled appalled. Gen. Smith was an old army officer who had 
seen much service. He was the son of an eminent physician 'of Pennsylvania, 
and graduated at West Point in 1S25. While in command of the union troops 
at Paducah, like most prominent officers of the time, he fell under the ban of 
anonymous newspaper correspondents, who even accused him of sympathizing 
with the rebellion. lie died shortly after the fall of Donelson. ° 

TJie rejoicings over the fall of Donelson were unprecedented. It 
seemed, to use the then coined phrase, as if "the back hone of the re- 
bellion" had been broken. A Cincinnati paper but expresses herein 
the prevailing sentiment of the country at that time. 

The news which wo publi.«h to-day will cause every loyal heart in the nation to thrill 
with joy. That the rebellion has been broken, and that it must now rapidly run out, is 
not to bo doubted for a moment. The loss of Bowling Green, Fort Donelson and Fort 
Henry, destroys the Inut ventujp. of strength that the rebels had in guarding the seceded 
states against a powerful invading army that will be sufTieient to sweep to the Gulf, carry- 
ing before it, as a roaring hurricane, every obstacle that may impede its path. At fori 
Doiiclnoi) xens fotKjJtt the decinive battle of the irar. The blood shed there, and the victory, 
so nobly and so gloriously won, sealed the fate of the rebellion, and virtually re-cemented 
the apparently parted fragments of the union. 

Hurras resounded through the streets of the cities, as the tidings of 
the great victory were flashed over the wires. 

People collected in joyous knots, half strangers, shook hands, and a general 
ebullition of good feeling went all around. Among the funny incidents that oc- 
curred, was one in the rear of a store where an old merchant was reading to a 
friend beside him, an extra, with the glad tidings: 

" Fort Donelson surrendered— Generals Floyd, PiUow, Bnchier and Jolmson, 
and \o,0<)0 prisoners taken .'/"—In bounded an excited individual, with hat in 
hand, which he at first sight shied at the head of his friend. The hat missed 
the head and broke the window. "Oh, excuse me," he cried, "I'll get an- 
other pnne put in right off" The old merchant jumped from his chair, yelled— 
"never mind, never mind! Break another— break 'em all!" And then they all 
shook hands around, and crowed over the great news. 

The rebel lamentations upon this event were bitter. They consoled 
themselves with the statement, that they fought with desperate valor 
usrainst tremendous odds. 

Day after day — said the Richmond Dispatch — the multitudinous hosts of invaders, 
were driven back past their own camps, until our glorious Spartan band, from sheer ex- 
haustion, became crushed by a new avalanche of reinforcements, and suffer one of those 
misfortunes which are common to war. , ,, . .i, ,-r ui a 

If these bloody barbarians, whose hands are now soaked to the elbows in the lite blooa 
of men defending their own homes and firesides, dream that they are now one inch nearer 
the subjugation of the South than when they started on their infernal mission, they prove 
themselves to be fools and madmen, as well as savages and murderers. , ,^ ,, . 

They have placed between them and us a gulf that can never be crossed by their arts 
or arms, and a universal determination to die, if die we must, for our country, but never 
permit her to be subjugated by the most mnlignant, the most miirderous, the meanest of 
mankind, whose name is, at this very moment, such a by-word of scorn and reproach 
throughout Europe, for their combined cruelty and coward.ee, hat their own ambassadors 
can not stand the scorn of the world's contempt, and are all anxious to fly back to the 



can 

United States 



EVACUATION OF BOWLING GREEN AND COLUMBUS. 

Bowling Green and Columbus, like many points in this war for 
awhile w?rc prominent centers of attraction, under the expectation 
of their becoming the scenes of decisive events. They will be barely 



7" 



106 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



noticed in history, while many others, then unknown, have become 
invested with a permanent interest. 

On the 17th of September, 1861, Gen. Buckner seized Bowlinggreen 
with his rebel forces, and threatened to be in Louisville within a week, 
and to make his winter quarters in Cincinnati. The rebels remained 
five months, having at times a large force. Gen. Algernon Sidney 
Johnson was placed in supreme command. It was regarded as the 
Western Manassas, having been strongly fortified. After the fall of 
Fort Henry, they saw it was in immediate danger of becoming unten- 
able, and they prepared to evacuate. Gen. Buell, with his army on 
the north of Green Kiver, at the same time made ready to march upon 







rfimi ii.ii.^fi 









PUBLIC SQUARE BOWLING GREEN, 

Showing the portion of the town burnt by tho rebels. 

it. On the 14th of February, the last train of cars were just getting 
under way, when Gen. Mitchell, escorted by Kennett's cavalry, head- 
ing the advance division of Buell's army, arrived on the banks of the 
Big Barren, opposite the town, and hurried their departure b}^ a few 
rounds from Loomis' battery. They had made a narrow escape, 
through the unexpected early arrival of the dashing Mitchell. They 
set fire to the railroad depot, and to other buildings, containing a large 
.amount of army stores, and moved off by these huge bonfires of their 
3wn kindling. When our forces reached the town it was a scene of 
desolation. . Nearly all the inhabitants had disapj^eared ; the seces- 
sionists from fear of the union army, the union peoj)le from the un- 
pleasant exhibition of energy Capt. Loomis had given in throwing his 
shells among them. Man}' marks remained of rebel occupation : among 
these were the graves of nearly 1500 of these deluded people. Fr(jm 
nere, Mitchell immediately moved on to NasliA'ille — the rebels still in 
flight. The evacuation of Columbus, on the Mississippi, which took 
place about two weeks later, cleared Kentucky of rebel troops, until 
the period of the guerrilla raids, under Morgan, in the ensuing summer 

The last of summer and early autumn of 1862 were exciting times 
in Kentucky. Morgan, the guerrilla, was active and dashing. He re- 
ported that, in 24 days he had traveled 1,000 miles, captured 17 towns, 
destroj'ed large amounts of government stores, dispersed 1,500 home 
.guards, and paroled nearlj^ 1,000 regular troops, and lost but 90 men. 

The great event of the season was the invasion of the state by Gen- 
erals Bragg and Kirby Smith. After the battle of Shiloh, the main 
rebel army under Bragg occupied the region about Chattanooga, and 
■heavy rebel forces under Kirby Smith the country further north, in the 



i 



IX KENTUCKY. -. qY 

ficmity of Knoxville. Gen. Buell with the union army was in camp fur- 
ther west, on, and near the north line of, Alabama. About midsummer, 
rumors of a rebel invasion of the state were rife; boasts of the cap- 
ture of Louisville and Cincinnati were common among the rebel sym- 
pathizers. Suddenly Bragg and Smith started on their march north- 
ward. Buell also broke up camp, and the two armies entered on their 
long race across two states for the Ohio. 

Battle of Richmond. — Toward the last of August, Kirby Smith first 
entered the state, and on the southeast, and with about 15,000 
men — veteran soldiers. General Manson, ignorant of the superi- 
ority of the enemy, with only about 7,000 troops, undertook to 
give them battle. His men were new levies and undisciplined. Early 
on Friday, August 29, news came to Eichmond that Colonel Metcalfe's 
Kentucky cavahy had fallen back from Big Hill, before a superior 
force. In the afternoon, General Manson advanced and skirmished. 
The rebels showed only a small part of their force ; and, as a ruse, 
allowed the union troops to capture a j^iece of artillexy. 

Saturday's sun rose clear and bright: as the day wore on, the heat 
became intense, the thermometer, at noon, standing at 95 degrees in 
the shade. At 6 o'clock, General Manson formed his troops, mostly 
from Indiana, in line of battle half a mile bej'ond Eogersville. This 
is a hamlet on the Lexington turnpike, four miles south of Eichmond. 

The rebels formed theirs in an arc of a circle with a flanking regi- 
ment at each end, so as to bring our men between a cross fire, which 
no troops could stand. The details are given by an eyewitness: 

General ]\Ianson, unable to resist, sent to General Cruft for reinforcements. 
The 6t)th Indiana, 18th Kentucky, and 95th Ohio were ordered out, together with 
six fiekl pieces belonging to Andrews' Michigan battery. The men were all ea- 
ger for battle, and only grumbled for not being called out sooner. 

It was now eight o'clock. The cannon roared with terriBc fierceness and ra- 
pidity, on both sides, and the contest seemed hard to determine. We had two 
guns — the enemy eleven. Neither line wavered a particle, or evinced any signs 
either of victory or defeat. The most experienced of military men could not tell 
how the battle was going up to nine o'clock. It was not until a few deadly vol- 
leys of musketry.were exchanged, that the experience and discipline of the rebel 
troops began to'turn the fortunes of the day in their favor. The 69th Indiana, 
on the extreme ritrht of our lines, replied with effect to a sharp fire from the con- 
federate infantry'f the 16th, on the left, did the same, while the artillery still 
roared on tlie center of both lines. The 95th Ohio, on its arrival, was sent to the 
support of the extreme risht, which seemed to waver a little under the Jeaden 
hail. Col. McMillan and^his men went fearlessly forward, and made a noble 
stand. Shortly after this, the 95th Ohio was ordered to the lett to charge a bat- 
tery. And here, let me ask, when, in the history of warfare, was a regiment 
called upon to perform such a feat two weeks after its equipment ? But the un- 
disciplined Ohioans stood up to the work, and bravely rushed where veterans 
mi-ht hesitate to go. But their courage and determination were more than 
matched by the skill and experience of their opponents, and, amid one ot the 
most terrible fires, the ranks of the 95th were broken 

At ten o'clock, a. m, our ri^ht and left flanks, which had been very poorly pro- 
tected, began to cive way. The rebels were gradually encroaching upon us on 
both sides, and we must either fall back or be surrounded, bix thousand law 
troops, after two hours' fi-hting, and with the consciousness of approaching deleat 
before them, to fall back in order! The thing is impossible. 

The order to fall back was followed by a panic and s.^ampede and v ctory 
perched itself upon the rebel banner. Our men broke in wild ^l^^^^'^d^r am d the 
loud cheers of the victors. The rebels followed our men into the fields and up the 



108 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



road, firinc; upon them from every possible point. I believe tliey killed a greatei 
number in one single cornfield than fell during the engagement of three hours in 
tlie line of battle. 

Durinf all of the first engagement on Saturday, about five hundred cavalry be 
lon"-in<i to Col. Metcalfe's, Col. Jacobs', and Col. Mundy's regiments, stood, drawn 
up in line, about half a mile in the rear of Rotcersville, and one mile from the 
battle-o'round, and rendered very efficient service in collecting the scattering 
ranks. The sight had become sorrowful. Many officers implored their men, and 
■with tears in their eyes, to rally, crying out, " For God's sake, men ! don't run off 
this way. Rally, men, rally." 

Just as the stampede was at its hight, the 12th Indiana, which had been held 
back as a reserve, came up the road, on the double-quick, with flying colors. The 
effect was admirable. The scene infused vigor into many desponding hearts, and 
caused hundreds of men to halt on their affrighted retreat. The 12th formed the 
nucleus around which the greater part of the fleeing army rallied for a second 
stand. The stars and stripes never looked more beautiful tlian upon the unsullied 
banner of Indiana's sons, as it waved a signal for another great effort to beat back 
the foes to liberty and union. The colors of the 12th were the only ones 1 could 
see upon the second battle-ground. c 

But, now for a second stand of 6,000 citizens against 18,000 soldiers. 

The ground selected by our men for this second stand, was about a mile from 
the first battle-ground. It was not the best position in the immediate neighbor- 
hood, but happening to be the point at which the scattered troops were rallied, it 
was chosen in preference to attempting another change and risking another stam- 
pede. 

Every field officer on the ground used his best exertions to encourage the troops, 
implored them to stand, and not run away, in wild disorder, to be pursued and 
shot down. The efiect, for awhile, seemed excellent. The men stood unflinch- 
ingly up to the galling fire of an overwhelming force. 

The rebel artillery was reinforced for the second fight, and it seemed to be their 
determination to annihilate our army rather than to capture it. Witli fifteen 
pieces, they kept a continuous fire of grape, shell, and solid shot upon our reduced 
ranks. Our undrilled Indianians and Ohioans kept their lines unbroken. At the 
expiration of half an hour, the firing ceased on both sides for nearly ten min- 
utes — from what cause 1 did not learn. Then commenced a musketry fire, 
■which proved too much for our inexperienced men. It lasted for about five min- 
utes, and ended in a second stampede. Our troops, ■while they stood, loaded and 
fired with worderful rapidity, considering their late initiation into an art which 
their antagonists had been practicing for a year and a half While they fired as 
often as the rebels, I do not believe they did half as much execution as 'was done 
to them. Unused to taking steady aim at objects like those now before them, 
many of them became too much excited and too nervous for marksmanship, and 
discharged their guns at an angle of forty-five degrees — sending the bullets 
harmlessly over the heads of their opponents. The'rebels took deliberate aim, 
fired low, and with telling effect. 

The second stampede was commenced and made. It was worse than the firsi 
The rebels, again victorious, and frantic with enthusiasm over their second tri- 
amph, separated into squads and pursued the flying host, with terrible efi'ect. 
Yet, Generals Cruft and Manson determined to make a third effort to repel the 
enemy. 

Consider the number of our forces in the morning, the fact that they had been 
panic-stricken twice, and that they had already lost "upward of 800 men in killed 
and wounded, and it will be apparent that the remnant was not lart^e enoui^h to- 
make a formidable stand. ° ° 

But Gen. Nelson had arrived from Lexington, and was determined that the 
day should not be lost so early. He directed all the movements, and the result of 
ttie engagement showed the master-hand. Under his mana<rement, 3,000 federal 
troops did more execution in a space of time not much greater than is frequently 
occupied in a skirmish, than 6,000 had done in two battles of several hours' do. 



I 



IN KENTUCKY. ^09 

ration. And amid all the danger and exposure, none was more exposed than he 
He rode along the lines, giving words of encouragement to his men, while the 
bullets flew thicker than at any other time during the day, and he was a conspio 
uous mark at which shots were fired. " Keep it up men — the rebels are running. 
That's it. Let them have it. Fire low. Take good aim. We'll whip them yet," 
and similar expressions he used to make a victory, already certain, as dearly 
bought as possible for the enemy. He frequently said, "Reinforcements will be 
here right away " — and, of course, it is not for me to say that they were not on 
the road, though, I must say, they never came. The rebels had, evidently, re- 
solved on tinishing the work this time. They were reinforced and fought with 
desperation. They used but little artillery, relying, principally, upon their " un- 
erring rifles.'' 

I should have mentioned before now that the ground selected for the third 
stand was a slight elevation, about three quarters of a mile from town, and in- 
cluded the Richmond cemetery, whose beautiful obelisks now bear many marks 
of the bloody struggle. In that little city of the dead no less than seventy-five 
rebels fell in half an hour. They had sought refuge behind the marble, the more 
effectually to destroy our men and insure their own safety. Gen. Nelson discov- 
ered theiu, and maneuvered his troops so as to bring them under a cross-fire, 
which made terrible havoc among them. 

This was a hotly-contested engagement, though of short duration, and one in 
which our men, though outnumbered, punished tli* enemy very severely. Had 
all the fighting of the day been proportionately favorable co our side, the sun 
would not have set upon 'a vanquished federal army. The union loss in this 
engagement was estimated at 3,000, of whom 2,000 were taken prisoners and im- 
mediately paroled. 

Two days after Lexington surrendered to Kirby Smith, and on the 
3d of September, Frankfort was taken. The archives and public prop- 
erty were removed to Louisville, where the legislature was convened. 
Gov. Eobinson called upon every loyal citizen to rally to the defense 
of the state. All the able bodied citizens of Louisville were at once 
ordered to enroll themselves for the defense of the city. Cincinnati, 
Covington and Xewport became excited at the approach of the enemy. 
Gen. Lewis Wallace assumed command; declared martial law in the 
three cities, and summoned the citizens for defense. The advance 
guard of the enemy, on the 7th, came within five miles of Cincmnati, 
and on the same week Mavsville was entered by them. 

At this time, both the armies of Bragg and Buell were entering the 
state, the latter having passed through Is^ashville on the 5th On the 
14th an advance brigade, undre Gen. Chalmers, of the rebel "Army 
of the Mississippi," as Bragg's army was then called, reached iMun- 
fordsville. 

Battle of MunfordsviUe.- At this pLice were some of the works erected to de- 
fend the Louisville and Nashville railroad bridge across Green River. Ihe 
garrison consisted of 2200 men, under Col. John T. \Vilder, of the ^^^ JncW 
On Sunday morniuL^ the 14th, Chalmers, with one Alabama and ^^"^ f^^^^^^ P 
redments, attempted to carry 'these works by storm ^Vi aer '■^'^'ll'l^''-^''''} 
their first line came within about thirty yards when he said '^ "^/^^^ :!\ 
port: " 1 directed the men to lire and a very avalanche of ^^f^^h swept through the 
ranks, causini^ them first to stagger, and then run in disorder ^o ^e wo«d in 
rear, having left all their field ofiicers on the ground, ^/^^^.«;,,\^'';'! '^^^^"'^'^^^ 

s,^ai^'l:;:n theU=>pet,.-ehe.led,v.th ^^^^^^^^JSt^^'^ 
:;:S^ Uif fi"' h^ -^^l^ del^^delT llr^ U^ne^:^ f.lL The fi^ had 



110 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



146 bullet holes through it." From this repulse the enemy never recovered ; but, 
fit the end of two hours, sent in a fla.s; of truce, with a demand for an uncon- 
ditional surrender, to avoid further bloodshed. Wilder thank him for his com- 
pliments, and told him if he wished to avoid further bloodshed just to keep out 
of the ranf!;e of his guns. This Chalmers was careful to- do, for he had already 
lost nearly 1000 men in killed and wounded. 

On Tuesday, Bragg, with his main army, surrounded the works and sent in a 
flag of truce Avith a statement of the tacts, and requiring a surrender. This Wilder 
consented to do if Bragg would allow him to verify hi.s statements by personal ob- 
servation. To this singular propositiou Bragg agreed, and Wilder rode around 
the enemy's line, counting 45 cannon in position, supported by 25,000 men. The 
next morning he surrendered, marching out with the honors of war. 

The enemy hastily crossed his entire army here, destroyed the railroad bridge, 
placed a strong rear guard on the bluffs, to oppose the .crossing of Gen. Buell, 
advancing from Bowlinggreen. The next day Buell's cavalry drove off the rear 
guard, and the army of Gen. Buell hastily crossed, in rapid but fruitless pursuit. 

While Cincinnati was j^ut in defense, under General Wallace, Louis- 
ville was placed in command of General Nelson, who had arrived 
from the unfortunate field of Eichmond. He erected new fortifica- 
tions, and gave life and energy to the army of hastily collected raw 
troops, numbering some 30000 men. He found that Gen. Bragg was 
t)rishi ng forward rapidly, and it seemed as if a desperate efibrt was to 
be made by Kirby Smith and Bragg to unite their forces and take 
Jjouisville, ere Buell could arrive to opjjose them. In such an event 
ho prepared to evacuate it, cross to the Indiana shore, and shell the 
oily from that side. For this purpose he erected batteries at Jefferson - 
villo, threw pontoon bridges across the Ohio, sent over government 
stores, and on the 22d of September issued the startling order: " The 
women and children of this city will prepare to leave the city without delay.'' 

The excitement which followed can scarcely be described. Instead 
of only preparing to leave, multitudes at once left ; men, women and 
children, carrying their most precious goods with them, j^oured in an 
unbroken stream across the pontoons; and the stampede, at one time, 
threatened to become a panic. Thousands unable to obtain a shelter 
in Jeffersonville and New Albany, wei-e compelled to live for several 
days in the neighboring woods and fields, until the arrival of Buell's 
army. 

The causes of Gen. Bragg's failure to reach Louisville have thus 
been given : 

At Munfordsville, on the 16th of September, Bragg was immediately in front 
of Buell, and by the action of his rear guard he was enabled to hold Buell's 
cavalry in check until the rebel advance was two days nearer Louisville than 
the union forces. Arriving with his cavalry at Elizabethtown, and his infantry 
at the point of convergence of the roads to that place and Hodgenville, Bragg 
hesitated which to take. The direct road to Louisville lay through Elizabethto\N-n, 
and crossed Salt River at its raouth. Bragg argued that there was danger if he 
moved by this short line, that the opposition of Nelson to his crossing at Salt 
lliver, would enable Buell to come upon his rear, when a battle of unfortunate 
issue would leave the ret)el army without a proper line of retreat. He conse- 
quently chose the longest route, by way of Bardstown, and moving with c;reat 
haste to that point, deployed upon the various approaches to Louisville, and began 
a systematic advance from Bardstovfu, Taylorsville and Shelbyville. September 
22d. In the meantime, Buell, reaching the turning off point of Braixg, at once 
chose the short line to Louisville, by the mouth of Salt l-Jiver. The advance of 
ais weary troops, under Critte'nden, reached the mouth of Salt River at dusk, Sep- 



IN KEXTUCKY. HX 

tember 24th, when urgent calls came from Nelson to push on. The army was 
put in motion again, and liy a forced march of twenty miles, it reached the city 
by daylight the ner.t morning. The city was saved, Bragg was foiled, compelled 
to retire on Bardstown, and his great invasion thus proving a failure, he was 
forced to assume the defensive, and soon after began to retire. 

Buell's army remained in the eity a few clays, and that of ^STelson 
consolidated with it. ISTelson was given the command of the center 
corps, but did not live to control it in the field, for he was killed at the 
Gait House, on the 29tli instant, by a pistol shot, fired by Gen. Jeffer- 
son C. Davis, an officer under him, whom he had brutally insulted. 
To an overbearing- disposition. Gen. Nelson united many excellent 
qualities. His loyalty was a passion, his bravery unsurpassed, and 
woe to any who attempted infringements upon the rights of his sol- 
diers. His person was gigantic, and the Niagara of oaths with Avhich 
he enforced his orders, were more feared than rebel bullets. His in- 
fluence was great in saving Kentucky when she was vibrating in the 
scale of loyalty. His great fault was atoned for by his sudden death ; 
but his memory will be held in honor, for his eminent services and in- 
tense patriotism. In accordance with his dying wish his remains were 
placed in Camp Dick Eobinson, of which he was the founder. 

BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE, OR CHAPLIN HILLS. 

The pursuit of Bragg by the grand army of Gen. Buell began on the 
1st of October, when in heavy imposing columns it marched out of 
Louisville. 

At this time, the main body of Bragg's rebel army, composed ot 
about 40,000 men, with some 70 pieces of artillery, was encamped m 
the vicinity of Bardstown. Kirby Smith had 15,000 men, at Lexington, 
Frankfort, and neighborhood. At Georgetown, Humphrey Marshall 
had 4000 men, and John Morgan and Scott had each a body of cavalry, 
roaming at will through central Kentucky. The aggregate strength 
of the enemy was hardly 60,000, inclusive of 5000 cavalry and 90 pieces 

of artillery. ^ , ^r m i ' o i n •+ 

Buell moved from Louisville, with three corps, 1st, McCook s ; 2d, Ci t- 
tenden's; 3d, Gilbert's. Beside the nine divisions of these three corps, he 
had a tenth-an independent division-that of Dumont. His entire forcj 
was nearly 80,000 strong, including about 7000 cavalry and Iv pieces of 
artillery. ^ The probabilities of success were flattering. His forces were 
concentrated and superior; those of the enemy scattered and deficient 
in artillery. Many of Buell's regiments were however, new leyes. 

Soon nfLr leaving Louisville, slight skirmishing began with the en- 
emy On Tuesday the 7th, it was apparent the rebels were m great 
?or e about Pexwville, a hamlet somV eight miles southwest of Har- 
rod^urg Buell Ilesigned to give them ^-"le there he next day with 
nearly his entire force. On Wednesday morning, the 8th Bi agg had 
Si?ee of his s X divisions, half of his entire army, in line of battle, but 

mo tl3 sec?ete^ from view. Buell, not l^-"gX'^rd?;lmfnl"Jh 
his design of bringing on a general eng.age ent, not ^ ^^^^mng the 
1 -I ++.wi- TItp litter however, did attack , ana so uu^ui 

battle was fought on oui siue uj tw , . , q^.p^p were lar"-elv 
Jackson's and !lousseau's, and Goodmg s brigade. These ^. tie lai^eiy 



229 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

new troops, never before in action. Gen. McCook saj'S in his report: 
"Eousseau had present on the field 7000 men ; Jackson, 5500. The 
brif^ade of Gooding amounted to about 1500. The battle was princi- 
jmlly fought by Eousseau's division." 

The Battle. — The battle began at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, by u 
fierce onset upon McCook's entire line. His two divisions were in five 
brigades, and stationed about as in the diagram. 

Starkweather. Terrill. Harris. XiVtle. 

Webster. 

Six batteries were distributed at suitable points along the line. 
Gilbert's entire army corps was too in line most of the day, to the right 
of McCook's, his extreme left being a short distance only from Lytie's 
brigade. Crittenden's corps was farther to the right, resting on Gil- 
bert. The outlines of the battle have thus been drawn: 

The left and left center, under iStarkweather and Terrell, first experienced a 
most desperate assault by a largely superior force of the enemy, manifestly bent 
upon carrying this all-important position, and turning our line. Gen. Jackson 
was with Terrell's brigade. He fell at the first fire of the rebels, and, under the 
tremendous volleys now poured upon Terrells new regiments, they gave way in a 
few moments in the utmost confusion, and were driven pell mell from the field, 
leaving seven guns of a battery of eight in the hands of the enemy. Thus, 
in the first half-hour of the battle, one fifth of the union force engaged was vir- 
tually placed liors du combat, and a portion of its line broken. 

This misCortune, together with the vigor of the attack and great numerical su- 
periority of the enemy — the latter, so uniformly magnified by our generals, was, 
for the first time, really almost three to one — seemed to bode a speedy termination 
of the struggle disastrous to our troops. But happily, the stubborn gallantry of 
Kousseau's old troops was equal to the emergency, "and eventually secured the 
day. 

The heavy rebel line that had fiillen upon and broken and scattered Terrell's 
brigade, immediately followed up its advantage by a succession of most deter- 
mined advances upon the extreme left under iStarkweather. He had only three 
regiments of infantry, but two splended batteries, and with this small, "though 
dauntless force, he repulsed attack after attack of the enemy, and maintained hia 
position during two hours, until after his ammunition was exhausted, when he 
fell back under orders for several hundred yards without losing anv guns. After 
refilling their cartridge-boxes his men resiimed the contest with the enemy that 
had followed them, and continued it without yielding another inch until dark. 

Harris' brigade, on the right center, fought with equal bravery and steadfast- 
ness. It likewise stemmed the onsets of an outnumbering enemy for several 
'aours. After exhausting their supplies of cartridges, the men secured and fired 
with those of their dead and wounded comrades, and even after these were ex- 
pended they did not fall back, but held their ground for some time under a heavy 
fare, to which they could not return a single'shot, until orders reached them to 
retire to a position that brought them asain on a line with Starkweather, whose 
withdrawal had preceded theirs. In this second position this brigade continued 
fighting until the end of the combat 

Lytle's brigade, on the extreme right, was assailed not as early as the left but 
with equal violence, by superior numbers. It resisted successfully several attacks, 
and maintained its ground until about 4 o'clock, " when a new column of the enemy," 
to quo.e from the report of Gen. Ro.usseau, "moved around to its right, concealed 
by the undulations ot the ground, turned its right flank and fell upon its right and 
rear, anu drove it, and lorced it to retire." ' 



IN KEXTUCKY. H^ 

Gen. McCook arrived on the ground at this moment, and forthwith ordered Web 
star's brigade to move from the rear of the center to the support of Lytle. In 
carrying out this order, CJol. Webster was mortally wounded as soon as he got 
under tire. His ne\» regiment got into disorder after his fall, and proved of 
hardly any avail to the right 

Though terribly cut up, and somewhat in confusion, the brigade was reformed, 
after extricating itself from the enemy, some hundred yards from its first jiosition. 
It was hardly once more in line, when the same body that compelled it to retire 
again moved upon its right. It was permitted to approach to close range, and 
then opened upon by the battery and infantry of the brigade. But, although fear 
ful havoc was made upon its ranks by grape, cannister and musketry, it kept 
steadily moving on. At this critical moment, the long-expected reinforcements, 
consisting of Gooding's brigade of Mitchells division, with a battery, arrived near 
Lytle's brigade, and immediately took its place. The fresh troops moved to meet 
the advancing enemy without delay, and after a short, ])ut severe struggle, involv- 
ing a loss of one third their number, drove the rebels back. This was just before 
dark, and terminated the battle. While Gooding's brigade was driving the enemy, 
Gen. Steadman's brigade of Gen. Pchoepf's division appeared on the ground, and 
was put in position by Gen. IMcCook. It was, however too late to be of any ser- 
vice, fir ng having ceased on both sides before it was fairly formed. 

(len. McCooks's two divisions had really fought the battle of the day. The di- 
visions of Generals Mitchell and Sheridan, of Gilbert's corps, however, also bore 
a part, though a minor one, in it. 

Simultaneously with the first attack upon McCook's line, at 2 o'clock p. m., strong 
columns of the enemy aopeared both on the right of Mitchell, in front of Sher- 
idan, with the apparent intention to attack Gen. Mitchell immediately advanced 
a line of skirmishers from Carlin's brigade on his right, upon which movement 
the enemy at once fell l)ack under cover. Gen. Sheridan thought himself so seri- 
ously threatened that he sent a message to Gen. Mitchell, stating that he needed 
re-inforcements. In response, Mitchell ordered Carlin's brigade to advance upon 
Sheridan's right. Sheridan then advanced upon the force in front of him, and 
after a slight contest caused it to retire. Carlin moved forward at the same 
time, and with commendable ardor charged upon the enemy, made them yield in 
confusion, and followed tliem nearly two miles to the very town of Ferryvilie, 
its advance capturing an ammunition train of fifteen wagons, two caissons, a,ncl 6 
officers and 138 privates. Finding the enemy was occupying the town with a 
force of infantry and artillery superior to his own, Carlin fell back to a strong 
position, on the west side of the town, where he kept up an artillery tight until 

'Gen. Sheridan was no more seriously troubled after the mentioned brief afi-air 
oetween 2 and 3 o'clock. Later in the afternoon he fell back, in obedience to 
orders from Gen. Gilbert, some distance to the rear, and went into bivouac. 

The causes of the disa.strous issue of this battle were ascribed to 
Generals Buell and Gilbert, as these facts show. At 3 o clo^'^^^'^P;- 
Horace W. Fisher, of McCook's staif, was dispatched by hat ofticei to 
Gen. Gilbert with pressing demands for assistance. ^^l^^.^J^^/f^'X' 
but referred him to Gen-^Buell. That officer was two n.ie m the 
rear, and an hour was consumed in finding him. It ^^^f^^^^<^ clock when 
Fisher reported. And how did Buell respond f He stepped out of^his 
tent, held his ear toward tl^ scene of action listened for a lew mo- 
ments, and then turning sharply to Captain i isher, ^aid^ Cap .u , j ou 
must be mistaken ; I can not hear any sound of musketry, theie can 
not be any pressing engagement?" ^^^ .^o;nfr.vf.pmpnts 

Captaii/ Fisher returned without any orders ^J ^^''^^^'''''f^^ 
After awhile, a change of wind brought the ^«-^^^ of^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Buell, and he then sent orders to Gilbert, f Mc^^?!;^ .^^j'^ ^^'^'de 
assistknce to furnish it. Thus it happened that Gooding, bi.^aae 



214 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

reached McCook at the close of the battle, two hours after ho had first 
appealed for help to Gilbert. Grievous as was this portion of the bat- 
tle, it was not tlie worst. The writer from whom we have previously 
quoted, says : 

As previously stated, Sheridan was not seriously troubled by the enemy after 
3 o'clock, p. M. Both he and Mitchell were ready and anxious for a forward 
movement upon the enemy. There was further the whole of (Jen. tSchoepf 's 
splendid division of old, battle-tried troops, \yin'S. directly behind them all day 
without firing a shot. All the ollicers of the three divisions chafed under the in- 
comprehensible management that kept them bivouacking within short cannon- 
range of, and in full view of, the unequal struggle on their left. Gen. Sheridan 
Bent word to Gen. Gilbert to "beware what he was doing; " Gen. Sclioepf begged 
and entreated permission to advance, and when refused, fairly wept in the bitter- 
ness of his disappointment. But all was of no avail. The 3d corps remained 
idle spectators of the desperate straits to which their valiant, bleeding, partially- 
broken comrades under McCook were becoming gradually reduced. And yet its 
position was such — there was not an intelligent officer in the corps that did not 
Bee it — that an advance of its line for less than a mile would have brought it to 
the very rear of the enemy that had fallen upon McCook. 

The logic of all of the above-mentioned facts allows no other than these legiti- 
mate conclusions: 

1. The blame for the disastrous results of the battle is divided between Gener- 
als Buell and Gilbert. 

2. The share of the former consists in his failure to provide for the contingency 
of an attack by the enemy, through the means of instructions to Generals Gilbert 
and McCook, as to how to operate in case of its occurrence, and first discrediting 
instead of acting promptly upon the urgent appeal for relief of General McCook. 

3. That of General Gilljert is the largest, and is made up, before all, of his re- 
fusal of prompt assistiinee to General McCook, and reference of the subject to 
General Buell, by which over an hour's time, full of peril, was lost. But for the 
unflinching valor of McCook's old troops, this delay would have resulted in the 
annihilation of the whole left wing. Every consideration of duty imposed it on 
General Gilbert to respond at once to the earnest request of General McCook. It 
would be hard to find a counterpart to his course in the history of any war. The 
Beccmd shortcoming chargeable to him is his neglect to improve his open opportu- 
nity of turning tlie reverse of the day into victory, by lying, with 25,000 men, in wait- 
ing for an attack, instciid of undertaking one himself, which would have not only re- 
lieveil Gen. JNIcCook, but resulted in the capture and destruction of his assailants 

Tlie question will probably occur, why General BueU did not repair, himself, 
to the battle-field, instead of sending an aid, to ascertain the situation ? He had 
met with a mishap of a peculiar character the day before, that had rendered him 
unable to mount a horse. In trying ta ride down a straggler — a practice, one 
Vt'ould think, rather incompatible with the dignity of a general-in-cliief, but fre- 
quently indulged in by General Buell — his charger had become unmanageable 
and threw him. 

The enemy had achieved a substantial success, though at no trifling cost of life 
and limb. They had killed and wounded 3,-500, including three general officers, 
and taken prisoners, 400 of our soldiers; captured 11 pieces of artillery, and 
helvl the main part of the battle-field. There had been certain chances to secure 
a union triumpii, instead of a humiliation. They had been missed; but it was 
Btill in the power of General Buell to make up for the loss sustained by making 
prompt use of time, means, and circumstances. Alas 1 this, too, was omitted as 
the alter events showed. ' 

The total losses of both armies by this battle were not far from 
8,000 men— the rebels losing the most. On the next morning, our 
army advanced, to find the enemy gone. Of their spoils, they had 
carried off only two guns, and their i^risoners. "The astonishing au- 



IN KENTUCKY. jjc 

dacity of the rebels in ventuvino- into the very fiings of our army vrith 
not one half of its numbers, had not involved him' in any serious det- 
riment." General Buell still acting upon the theory that the rebels 
designed to fight a battle for the permanent occupation of Kentucky, 
remained for three days in the vicinity of Perryville. "During all 
this time, his army was kept in constant line of battle, as thoug-h in 
expectation of an attack. The whole army was puzzled by this'^inex- 
plicable inactivity. There was not a man in it, from generals down 
to privates, outside of Buell's headquarters, that did not fret under 
it." In the meanwhile, Bragg's armj' had leisurely marched northerly 
through Harrodsburg, thence easterly to Bryantsville, to enable 
Kirb}^ Smith to join him — thus describing two sides of a triangle — 
while, if Buell had simply marched across the country, easterl}-, on 
the thii'd side, he w^oiild readily have intercepted him. It was nearly 
a week before Buell got to Danville, only half a day's march from 
Perryville by the direct route. He arrived there^ via Harrodsburg, 
on Tuesday. After reaching Danville something like a pursuit was 
attempted : it was too late. The week's delay of Buell had given 
Bragg ample leisure to move southward, out of reach, by the way of 
Crab Orchard and Mt. Yernou. He got out of the state safely, his 
trains loaded down with the riches of Central Kentucky. He took 
millions in value — cattle, mules, hogs, clothing, boots, shoes, etc. 

Buell was soon after removed from command. A more unpopular 
officer never commanded American soldiers : and " it was not uncom- 
mon to hear him openly denounced as a traitor, by officers and men, 
from generals down to privates." Gilbert was also removed and heard 
of no more. 

Buell was acquitted of blame for the management of the campaign 
by a court martial: and, to this day, in the judgment of some officers 
exalted in public confidence, stands second to none in military 
ability. 

Evacuation of Cumberland Gap.— Tho invasion of Kentucky com- 
pelled the evacuation of Cumberland Gap, which important post was 
held by four brigades under Gen. Morgan, of Ohio. They lelt on the 
17th of September, and, marching north, struck the Ohio at Greenups- 
burg, a distance of about 230 miles, in 15 days. The march was re- 
markable for its privations, many of the men becoming barefooted, 
and destitute of pantaloons. One of the officers gives some interest- 
ing items. 

The division had been on half rations for some days, and left die Gap without 
subsistence. Alon^ the entire route the men subsisted on ereen corn, gathered 
in the fields by the wayside. With their bayonets they picked holes in t'leir tm 
plates, cups, and canteens, speedily converted them into graters, on winch they 
ground, or grated, their corn. While on the march, each gun could be seea with 
its string of corn, and no sooner would the column lia t.than the men would come 
down to their tedious and tiresome work of grating their corn into meal. W ater 
was very scarce. All they found was in ponds, poo s, and swamps, green and 
stagnated. All along the route, they were harassed by the enemy, ^^j'^o had 
blocked the road with fallen timber. At many points Capt. 1 attersonot the en- 
gineer corps of sappers and miners, was compelled to construct a "^/^^^^f ;,^;«"|^ 
the woods and ovei- the mountains. With the aid of blocks and tackle ou boys 
removed the fallen trees nearly as fast as they were felledby he rebels. Atone 
point, Cant. Patterson informs us, that while he was removing the timber, he could 



I^Q TIMES OF THE REBELLION,' 

hear the rebels chopping down the trees in the woods ahead of him. The roads 
being badly cut up, considerable time was occupied in litting up and repairing, in 
order to admit the passage of teams and artillery. The rebel Morgan, who was 
constantly harassing our men with a large force of his guerrilla cavalry, was 
frequently misled by our movements, lie would block up the I'oad at important 
crossings, while our sappers and miners would speedily make a cutoff, thus avoid- 
ing the diiiiculty. The rebels were led to believe that we were moving on Mt. 
Sterling, and were surprised to find that our army had taken a different course. 

No event of moment occurred in Kentucky after this during the 
war until 

forest's attack on paducah. 

Paducali, on the Ohio, at the mouth of the Tennessee, has suffered 
much i'vom the rebellion. Upon the brcakini^ out of the v\"ar, the se- 
cession mania took strong root in the minds of its citizens. When, in 
September, 18G1, the union forces occupied it for the tirst time, the 
streets and houses were found decorated with rebel flags, iu anticipa- 
tion of the arrival of Polk's army. 

When attacked by the rebel Cleneral Forrest, on the 25th of March, 
18G-i, it was garrisorod by the following forces, under command of 
Col. S. G. Hicks, viz.: 311 men of the 16th Kentucky; 12-1: of the 
122d Iliinois, and 250 (colored) of the 1st Kentucky artillery — in all, 
685. Forrest's force consisted of about 6,000 mounted men, with eight 
pieces of artillery. The details .of the attack and gallant defense 
which was made are here given by a pen familiar with" them. 

Upon learning that an attack would be made, Col. Hicks notified the inhabitants 
of that fact by special order, so when the first attack was made but few were re- 
maining in the city. Knowing the great numerical superiority of the enemy, 
Col. Hicks ordered his whole command to the fort, and awaited his appearance. 

The gun-boais, Paw-paw and Peosta, v.'hich were anchored out in the river, 
weighed and moored toward the upper end of the wharf — the one to the mouth 
of the Tennessee, the other a little below. These boats have a light armament, 
and are known on the river as " tin-clads," their plating being only sufficiently 
thick to resist the missiles of small arms, and perhaps grapeshot. 

A little before one o clock the enemy's advance came in sight, and in a moment 
afterward the main body appeitred in "the act of forming line — his right extend- 
ing toward the Tennessee, and being nearest to town, while the left was partially 
concealed by timber at long cannon range. The men on either flank were 
mounted, while bodies of dismounted men, who at that distance seemed to be a 
littk^ in advance of the others, appeared in occasional intervals in the hne, which 
was little less than two miles long. 

The enemy seemed to have entered on his campaign with an accurate knowl- 
edge of what was to be done, and was evidently posted as to the streni^th of our 
garrison. There was no delay in the advance. He pushed his line fol-ward, ra- 
pidly and steadily, while, at the same time, a detachment from the right flank 
several hundred strong, dashed into the now deserted citv, and down Market-street' 
and the other streets back of it, until, coming within rifle range of the fort thev 
opened a galling fire from the houses. " ' 

It seems that Col. Hicks, prudently, did not strain his men at the commence- 
ment ol the action, and althougli his lire was accurate, it was delivered slowly — 
the ranire being different at almust every discharne. The necessity he was under 
ot turning some of his guns upon the town so slackened our fire "that the enemy 
was enabled to make a charge upon the fort. l'.ut the movement was perceived 
and prepared for, and the first signs of an advance were greeted with a heavy and 
well-directed fire, winch created some confusion. The^-ebels continued toad 
vance, however, and a part of them, by veering to the right, threw themselves par 
tially under cover of the uneven ground and the suburban buildin-s On they 



IN" KENTUCKY. 2|.-. 

came, Avith loud cheers tliat sounded distinctly through the now increasing- r«ar 
of battle, and which were defiantly answered by our men, who now, reekini;- with 
perspiration, plied their rammers with accelerated rapidity, and hurled destruc- 
tion through the advancing lines. As soon as they came within good rifle ranse 
a terribly destructive fire was opened upon them, and men toppled, reeled, and 
fell to the ground by scores. Although the overwhelming force continued to close 
upon the fort, it was now evident that there vas much disorder among them, and 
presently a portion of the line gave way, when the whole force ])roke in coni'usion 
and retreated pi-ecipitately, leaving the ground strewn with not less than 200 
killed and wounded. The discomfited rebels were then re-formed upon their ori- 
ginal line. 

The houses near the fort were again occupied by sharpshooters, and the rebels 
moved rapidly up, with increased numbers, and, apparently, a full determination 
to succeed. They dashed forward from behind buildings, and such other objects 
as served to cover their advance, while the main column rushed upon the fort, 
despite the murderous fire that opposed them. Ihit their efibrts were futile. 'J'he 
indomitable "six hundred" had no idea of being overpowered, and amid the an- 
swering thunders from fort and gun-boats, and the unijroken rattle of small arras, 
the enemy was again repulsed and fled from the field, disordered and whipped. 
Not less than 5U0 men, dead or wounded, covered the field, wiiliin rifle range of 
the fort. A more gallant defense was never made. But the fighting did not 
cease with this repulse. The rebels swarmed thicker and tliicker in the build- 
ings, and an unintermitting storm of lead wiis poured from roofs and win<lows, 
notwithstanding the houses were being perforated by shot and shell from all our 
guns. 

Every gun in the fort was now turned upon the town, while the gun-boats took 
an active part in sweeping the streets and shelling the houses. The enemy, find- 
ing that our force was not strong enough to risk leaving the works, did not re- 
form his Avhole line again, but sent his men by detachments,^ several hundred 
strong, into the city, some to burn and pillage, an! oih.-rs to reinforce those who 
were yet firing upon the garrison. Now was the hardest trial our brave fellows 
had to bear, 'in spite of the shells that were sent crushing through the buildings, 
the sharpshooters, who, by this time, must have numbered nearly 1,000, held their 
positions, or else falling "back for a few minutes ag;\iu came forward, and deliv- 
GrGO. tliGir firG 

It was now nearly nightfall. The battle had continued from ten o'clock to 
after five, and yet the fate of the dav remained undecided. The heroic garrison, 
headed by their resolute commander, still stood unfalteringly to their posts while 
the enemv, conscious of the stren^zth of his overwhelming nuuibers,^ seemed loth, 
although "siirnallv repulsed, to yield to the fact of his undeniable deteat. 

Four hours had passed, during three of which th.ere was an almost unbroken 
roar of artillery and small aru'i-s. In the mean time, the rebels had occupied 
every part of tlie town. The headquarters and quartermaster s buildings which 
were in the most compactly built part of the city, had been sacked and fired. 
The marine ways had also been fired, and the steamer Dacotah, which was on the 
stocks lor repairs, was boarded, the crew robbed of every thing, and tlie boat 
burned. Almost every store in the place was broken open and its contents dam- 
aged, destroyed, or carried ofi". Clothing, and especially boots and shoes, seem 
to have been chiefly sought for. although an exceedingly large quantity of all 
styles and qualities of dry goods,' groceries, and provisions was earned off^ Lvery 
horse that could be found was taken, and, in fact, nothing that cou.d suit taste or 
convenience v>'as overlooked. ^ . , ^ ., ,. , , , ,, ^. ^„^ 

As the sun began to sink, the slackened fire from the bXi.ldings told hat our 
shelling had not been without eff-ect, and the rebels could be seen ^^ the fort 
as they left the houses by hundreds, and moved back toward the »PP^/ ^nd «f 
the toVn, bearing their dead and wounded. Many, however, remained behind, 
and although the^firing was now light it was continuous. _ , „„ , , ,„^ -. ;„ 

By this 'time, the ammunition in the fort was well nigh ^^^^ ff '""J;^,.^^ 
barely possible 'that if the enemy had again attempted to ^t^^^'"/'^;^; «' ^f^ Jj 
small garrison might have been overpowered by sheer stress of overwhelming 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



118 

nnmbers. But his disastrous experience of that day deterred him, and his offen- 
sive operations were confined to sharp-shootint:; from the buildings. This was 
kept up until nearly midniirht, when the tiring ceased entirely, and the rebels left 
the town. Col. Hicks' announcement to the garrison that their ammunition had 
almost given out, but that they would defend themselves with the bayonet, was 
received with loud cheers, and showed a determination to fight to the last. That 
was an anxious night to the occupants of the fort.. The knowledge that their 
means of defense would not, if attacked, last much longer, that the enemy was 
still within gun-shot of them with a force outnumbering them nearly ten to one, 
and that it was very probable that a night attack would be made, disinclined all 
to sleep, and the peremptory order of Col. Hicks that every man should remain 
broad awake and stand to his post, was scarcely necessary. So the niglit passed, 
every man awaiting expectantly the anticipated attack and determined to win or 
die. 

Next morning, the enemy was found to be still in our front, but some hundred 
yards in rear of his original line of the day before. Every thing pointed to 
another attack, and another day of trial for our gallant garrison. Tn view of this, 
('ol. Hicks sent out several detachments with orders to burn all the buildings 
which had been occupied by the enemy's sharpsiiooters, on the previous day, or 
that could afibrd them a similar protection in the event of an attack on this day. 
This order was promptly executed, and in less than fifteen minutes that part of 
the town below Broadway, and lietween Market-street and the river, together with 
many other buildings outside of these limits, were in flames. }.lany of the finest 
business houses and dwellings were thus destroyed, and none who has formerly 
been acquainted with this once beautiful city can help regretting the sad but im- 
perative necessity that called for its partial destruction. 

The next day the enemy withdrew fairly beaten. 

The rebel Brigadier-general Thompson was shot through the head, while on his 
horse near the fort, during the tiglit. After falling to the ground, a shell struck 
him in the abdomen, and blew him to pieces. His spinal column was found sev- 
eral feet from his mangled body. Before the war, he was looked upon as one of 
the most accomplished gentlemen in Kentucky, and was one of the most distin- 
guished lawyers of the day. He was for a long time prosecuting attorney of his 
district, and attained eminent popularity in that capacity. 

The rebel loss was estimated at over 1,000: the union loss was less 
than 80. 

morgan's raids. 

During the progress of the war, quite a number of raids were made 
into Kentuckj^, under the celebrated John Morgan, a native of the 
state, born and bred near Lexington ; most of these were for the sake 
of plunder, and were far from being successful. In nearly every en- 
gagement he was defeated, and generally foiled to carry off the spoils 
he had collected. On the 18th of August, 1862, he made a dash into 
the city of Lexington, killing 6, and cai^turing 120 unionists. He was 
defeated by a body of union cavahy, inferior in numbers to his own, 
near Hardysville, in December of the same year. He captured the 
union garrison at Elizabethtown, consisting of 250 men, on the 28th 
of December, his own force being nearly 3000 ; and in a few days after, 
was repulsed in an attack upon New Haven, Kentucky. On the 19th 
ol_ March, 1863, he captured a train on the Louisville and ]^ashville 
railroad, but while engaged in plundering, was dispersed bv a de- 
tachment of union troops. 

On the 5th of July, with 4000 cavalry, after a battle of seven hours,- 
he compelled Col. Hanson, with 500 men, to surrender at Lebanon. 
Un the iUi oi July, he crossed the Ohio river with a large force, nearly 



IN KENTUCKY. jjQ 

all of which was captin-ed at different points in Ohio, among them 
Morgan himself; who afterward escaped from the penitentiary at Co- 
lumbus. 

Early in June, 1864, Morgan made another raid into Kentuckv. One of his 
men, captured at Maysville, reported, that the force in Kentucky ^vas immediately 
under the command of Gen. i\Ior<ran, Col. Alston and Col. Smith; that the rebel 
force was about 3000, a large portion of them dismounted cavalry. They entered 
the state at Pound Gap, preceded by a scouting party, under Everett, to pick up 
horses for their dismounted men ; passed through Hazelgreen, Owingsville, and 
Flemingsburgh, and took Maysville without resistance, robbing its citizens of 
money and other valuables. The farms of union men were stripped of horses, 
while those of rebel citizens were protected. Everett left Maysville on June 8th 
for Mount Sterling. The ordnance train from Frankfort was attacked near Bag- 
dad by a rebel force under Jenkins. Mr. Sparks, a union member of the Ken- 
tucky Legislature, was killed. Gen. Burbridge, who had been following the rebels 
since they left Pound Gap, came up with the"m on the 9th at Mount Sterling, and 
defeated them. A portion of Morgan's command entered Lexington at 2 o'clock, 
on the morning of the 10th, burned the Kentucky Central Railroad depot, robbed 
a number of stores, and left at 10 o'clock, in the direction of Georgetown and 
Friinkfort. 

On Friday, the 10th of June, Morgan, with 3000 rebels, attacked the 16Sth and 
ITIst Ohio regiments, under Gen. Hobson, at Cynthiana, and after a severe fight, 
compelled Hodson to surrender, on condition that his men should be immediately 
exchanged. These troops from Ohio were all recruits, without military experience. 

The early battle was scarcely over before secession citizens threw open their 
doors, and invited their rebel friends in to breakfast. Many of them were old ac- 
quaintances, and scores of fond greetings took place in the streets, not a few 
females running out and stopping their old friends on horseback, greeting them 
with smiles and laughter, although they came with the blood of their neighbors 
warm on their hands. 

Morgan remained in Cynthiana Friday night, expecting Burbridge's forces, and 
exultant over the defeat of Hobson. His forces were drawn up in line of battle 
Fridoy night, crossing the Millersburg pike, a mile east of the town. 

At 12 o'clock, Friday night, (ien Burbridge moved his columns in the direction 
of Paris, and. taking some prisoners on the road, arrived there at daylight on 
Saturday. He rested all day, and heard of the fight with Hobson at Cynthiana. 
At midni<rht of Sunday, he started for Cynthiana,'" and arrived there just before 
daylight/' The 37th Kentucky, under c anmand of Major Tyler, were two miles 
in the advance, and discovered the rebel force one mile from town, in a line of 
battle over a mile long. They were posted behind stone walls, in houses, and 
along cross-fences. The 37th Kentucky advanced along the pike, deployed^ as 
skirinishers, and fout^ht the enemy for three quarters of an hour. Gen. Bur- 
bridge came up during the skirm'ish, and deliberately formed his line of bat- 
tle in the Hice of the enemy, about four hundred yards from their advance line, 
placing his two twelve-pounders on the pike. The infantry was posted on the 
right and left of the artillery, and the cavalry on the flanks, the 7tli ^''"o on the 
left, and the 9th i^Iichi-^an on the right. The cavalry simultaneously flanked the 
rebels, and turned back their lines, the infantry in the center advancing steadily, 
and forcintr back the rebel lines. The right gave way first; Coh Minor charging 
in three lines, under a heavy rebel fire, at short range, and relying on the saber. 
Col. Howard Smith quailed before their advance, and turning his horse, led his 
men in a panic to and throu-h the town. In charging upon the reDel lef., the 
9th Michigan struck too far to the right, and cut through the rebel line, driving 
them to the river, but leaving a gap through which Morgan and a fevv hundred _ot 
hia men escaped, following down the river, and taking the Augusta pike. Ihe in- 
fantry pressed back the rebel center, and repulsed handsomely a cavalry charge 
The artillery meanwhile was moved up the pike, within half a mile of town and 
had hardly got in position when another cavalry charge was made upon it. but a 
sweeping fire of canister swept men and horses before it, and the rout already be- 



120 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



gun, reached its diinax. One by one at first the rebels fell back through town, 
crossed the river and followed the ^Villian]stown pike. The whole line closed in 
on them, and they rushed tumultuously through the streets. Down the railroad, 
over fences, up the steep banks and through the bottoms, the rebels plunged head- 
long in their haste to escape. Hemmed in on the east side of the river, their line 
of escape was over the bridge west of town, which was filled with routed and panic- 
stricken horsemen. A general charge, by columns down the streets, was made by 
Gen. Burbridge's forces" and Jklorgiin's command completely routed. The rebels, 
unable to cross by the bridge, pushed into the river, great numbers of wliom vvero 
killed or drowned while crossing. Those who remained together, struck off to the 
west, and were followed for six miles out by the pursuing force, leaving their 
killed and wounded at every point. In the enga<2;cment, ]\lorgan himself com- 
manded at first, but soon left his men under Col. Howard Smith, and escaped. 

Gen. Burbridge's success was complete. Two hundred and fifty prisoners were 
taken, and one liundrcd killed or drowned. The wounded were most of them so 
severely injured as to be unfitted for service forever, and many of them were mor- 
tally wounded. Their rebel friends concealed their number, making it difficult t(} 
obtain a reliable estimate. The losses in Gen. Burbridge's command were sixteen 
killed and mortally wounded, twenty-nine wounded, and none missing. One 
thousand two hundred horses were captured, and a large supply of ammunition, 
and one hundred prisoners retaken. 

Sunday night. Gen. l?urbridge and staff, with four companies of the 11th ^lichi- 
gan cavalry, rode all night and reached Georgetown by daylight. C(d. (jarrard's 
command, which was inHunted on I'resh horses, and (-ol. Hanson's brigade, con- 
tinued the pursuit. Col. Garrard's brigade followed Morgan closely to Clack 
Mountain, near Morehead, when further pursuit would have be fruitless. The 
total number who escaped with Morgan, according to reliable estimates, did not 
exceed 700. 

This was the last of the raids of the famous John Morgan. On 
Sunday, the 4th of the September ensuing, Gen. Gillam surprised Mor- 
gan and his band at Greenville, East Tennessee, capturing 86 prisoner.s 
and one gun. Morgan was killed, the details of his death are thus 
given, as published at the time. 

Morgan was at the house of Mrs. "Williams, in the town, and was so 
suddenly surprised that he rushed out only partly dressed. As ho 
was passing through the garden, in the rear of the house, he was shot 
through the body, by Andrew G. Campbell, 13th Tennessee cavalry. 
This man had two grievances, aside from his desire to serve his coun- 
try, which made him more anxious to kill the great horse-thief. When 
our forces retired from that section, Capt. Keenan, of Gen. Gillam's 
staff, was left at the house of a widoAv. When Morgan came up, he 
cursed the woman for receiving him into her house, and took the sick 
man and threw him into a rOugh road wagon, and said, ^'- Haul him off 
like a hog f' and our men have not heard from him since. The other 
grievance was that Campbell had been conscripted, and had to serve 
in the rebel ranks some months before he could escape. After shoot- 
ing Morgan, he took the body on his horse and carried it about one 
fourth of a mile, and pitching it to the ground, he observed to his officers, 
" There he is, like a hog." 

Campbell for this service was promoted to a lieutenancy. Two of 
Morgan's staff, Captains Withers and Clay, the latter a grandson of 
Henry Clay, were captured in the garden of ]\Ii's. Williams, concealed 
in a hole in which potatoes had been buried. 



THE TIMES 

OF 

THE REBELLION 

IN 

ILLINOIS. 



The attitude of several of the states of the union has been deter- 
mined by the conduct of a few noble men in the hour of trial. Where 
men of ability faltered or proved recreant, the peojole of that state 
became divided, and all the horrors of civil war were experienced, 
but, where they were loyal, the peojile united, and the war raged far 
from their borders. Had Kentucky, instead of a Magoffin, had a Mor- 
ton, and Missouri a Yates, instead of a Jackson, how different might 
have the history of those states been: what horrors they might have 
escaped. Illinois was peculiarly fortunate in her public men at the 
outbreak of the rebellion. With them love of country overruled every 
other consideration. 

Douglas, the great statesman of the west, in the hour of the na- 
tion's peril, forgot the claims of party in his devotion to his country, 
and spoke words that thrilled and inspired the heart of the people. 
Her executive was prompt, far-sighted and untiring in labor for the 
welfare of the soldiers of Illinois. 

It was his eye that discerned in a captain of infantry those high 
qualities which have made the name of Grant illustrious. And from 
Illinois, too, came Abraham Lincoln, that patient man, who, with 
singular calmness and wisdom, looking serenely aloft, bore the helm 
in the years of the people's great trouble. 

As a" mournful interest now gathers around the name of -Uouglas, 
we give some of his last words— the noblest of his life. On the evening 
of the first of May, 1861, he reached Chicago from Washington and 
there, to an immense concourse, made his last speech, which, it has 
been said, "should be engraved upon the tablet of every patriot 
heart." 

I will not conceal gratification at the uncontrovertible test this vast audience 
presents-that what political differences or party questions may have div" ed us 
yet you all had a conviction that when the country should be in danger, ^Jj^Jl^^J 
could be relied on. That the present danger is imrament, no man can conceal 
If war must come-if the bayonet must be used to maintain the c7«titut.on--l 
can say before God my conscience ia clean. I have struggled long loi a peaceiui 

8 ^^ 



■^22 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

solution of the difficulty. I have not only tendered those states what was theirs 
of right, but I have gone to the very extreme of magnanimity. 

The return we receive is war, armies marched upon our capital, obstructions 
and dangers to our navigation, letters of marque to invite pirates to prey upon 
our commerce, a concerted movement to blot out the United States of America 
from the map of the globe. The question is, are we to maintain the country of 
our fathers, or allow it to be stricken down by those who, when they can no longer 
govern, threaten to destroy ? 

What cause, what excuse do disunionists give us for breaking up the best gov- 
ernment on which the sun of heaven ever shed its rays? They are dissatisfied 
with the result of a presidential election. Did they never get beaten before ? 
Are we to resort to the sword when we get defeated at the ballot box ? I under- 
stand it that the voice of the people expressed in the mode appointed by the con- 
stitution must command the obedience of every citizen. They assume, on the 
election of a particular candidate, that their rights are not safe in the union. 
"What evidence do they present of this ? I defy any man to show any act on 
which it is based. What act has been omitted to be done? I appeal to these as- 
sembled thousands that so far as the constitutional rights of the southern states, 
I will say the constitutional rights of slaveholders are concerned, nothing has 
been done and nothing omitted of which they can complain. 

There has never been a time, from the day that Washington was inaugurated 
first president of these United States, when the rights of the southern states 
stood firmer under the laws of the land, than they do now; there never was a 
time when they had not as good a cause for disunion as they have to-day. AVhat 
good cause have they now that has not existed under every administration ? . . . 

The slavery question is a mere excuse. The election of Lincoln is a mere 
pretext. The present secession movement is the result of an enormous conspiracy 
formed by leaders in the Southern Confederacy more than twelve months ago. . . . 

But this is no time for a detail of causes. The conspiracy is now known. Ar- 
mies have been raised. War is levied to accomplish it. There are only two sides 
to the question. H^'ery man must be for the United States or against it. There 
can be no neutrals in this war, only patriots — or traitors. 

Thank God, Illinois is not divided on this question. I know they expected to 
present an united south against a divided north. They hoped in the northern 
states, party questions would bring civil war between democrats and republicans, 
when the south would step in with her cohorts, aid one party to conquer the 
other, and then make an easy prey of the victors. Their scheme was carnage and 
civil war in the north. 

Tliere is but one way to defeat this. In Illinois it is being so defeated, by clos- 
ing up the ranks. War will thus be prevented on our soil. While there was a 
hopeof peace, 1 was ready for any reasonable sacrifice or compromise to main- 
tain it. IJut when the question comes of war in the cotton-fields of the south or 
■ the corn-fields of Illinois, I say the farther off the better 

The constitution and its guarantees are our birthright, and I am ready to en- 
force that inalienable right to the last extent. We can not recognize secession. 
Kecognize it once, and you have not only dissolved government, but you have de- 
stroyed social order, upturned the foundations of society. You have inaugurated 
anarchy in its worst form, and will shortly experience all the horrors of the 
J'rench revolution. 

Then we have a solemn duty — to maintain the government. The greater our 
•xinanimity the speedier the day of peace. We have prejudices to overcome, from 
-the few short months since of a fierce party contest. Yet these must be allayed. 
Let us lay aside all criminations and recriminations as to the origin of these diffi- 
culties. When we shall have again a country with the United States flag float- 
ing over it, and respected on every inch of American soil, it will then b^ time 
enough to ask who and what brought all this upon us. 

I have said more than I intended to say. [Cries of " Go on."] It is a sad task 
to discuss questions so fearful as civil war; but, sad as it is, bloody and disas- 
trous as 1 expect it will be, 1 express it as my conviction before God, that it is the 
<luty of every American citizen to rally around the flag of his country. 



IN ILLINOIS. 123 

1 thank you again for this magnificent demonstration. By it, you show you 
have laid aside party strife. Illinois has a proud position. United, firm deter- 
mined never to permit the government to be destroyed. 

A few days later, and Stci^ben A. Douglas had done with all mortal 
conflicts. His dying words was a last message to his absent sons — 
" Tell them to obey the laics, and support the Constitution of the United 
States.^' 

Looking back over four years of war, in which Illinois had borne 
so conspicuous a part, her governor gives the following satisfactory 
record. 

As a state, notwithstanding the war, we have prospered beyond all former pre- 
cedents. Notwithstanding nearly 200,000 of the most athletic and vigorous of 
our population have been withdrawn from the field of production, the area of 
land now under cultivation is greater than at any former period, and our prosper- 
ity is as complete and ample as though no tread of armies or beat of drum had 
been heard in all our borders. 

Appreciating, before the first gun was fired at Sumtei-, the determination of 
treasonable political leaders to inaugurate rebellion, and, when war was actually 
made against the government, the great preparation made by them for revolt, and 
the magnitude of "the struggle we would be compelled to pass through, I earnestly 
insisted upon and urged "more extensive preparation for the prosecution of the 
war. 

After the war had progressed a year, and the mild measures which were still 
persistently advocated by many friends of the administration, and with all the 
evidence, on the part of the rebels, for complete preparation and determination to 
wage a long and desperate war against the government, I sent the president the 
following dispatch : 

Executive Department, Sprixqfibld, III., July 11, 1862 

President Lincoln, Washington, D. C. : 

The crisis of the war and our national existence is upon us. The time has come for the 
adoption of more decisive measures. Greater vigor and earnestness must be infused into 
our military movements. Blows must be struck at the vital parts of the rebellion, ihe 
government should employ every available means compatible with the rules of warfare to 
subject the traitors. Summon to the standard of the republic all men willing to faght tor 
the union. Let loyalty, and that alone, be the dividing line between the nation and Us 
foes. Generals' should not be permitted to fritter away the sinews of our brave men in 
guarding the property of traitors, and in driving back into their hands loyal blacks, who 
offer us their labor, and seek shelter beneath the federal flag. Shall we sit supinely by 
and see the war sweep off the 'youth and strength of the land, and refuse aid 'rom that 
class of men, who are at least worthy foes of traitors and the murderers of our government 

and of our children ? , ^ • „ t..„;tnre anA 

Our armies should be directed to forage on the enemy, and to cease paying /ff^tors and 
their abettors exorbitant exactions for food needed by the sick and h»"g^^ «« ^.er Mild 
and concilatory means have been tried in vain to recall the rebels to their allegiance ihe 
conservative policy has utterly failed to reduce traitors to o^e^'-^^^^/ ^f^-i^^Va.tre/ 
supremacy of the laws. They have, by means of sweeping '=°"^° "P 7.°^^' ^athere^ m 
coLtless hordes, and threaten to beat back and overwhelm '!>« '^'^^''f, ;;5^'' "° ",^, J'Z 
blood and treason in their hearts, they flaunt the black flag of ^^\^«' "^" ^^ ^^^^^^^^ 
government, and threaten to butcher our brave and loyal armies with foreign bayonets. 
They arm negroes and merciless savages in their behalt. p,.«Mni,T, anew the eood 

Mr. Lincoln, the crisis demands greater and ^t^'-'^^r measures Proc am anew^he^good 

old motto of ti^e republic, " liberty and union, now and f"'^^^^^' °"° ^"^ '"^'^P.^^'es out of 
accept the servieei of all loyal men, and it will be in your P"7J ^o stan,p armies 
the earth-irresistible armies that will bear our banners to;;f«:'« ^ "^'^y-^j^^^ t^3 ^ 

In any event, Illinois, already alive with beat of druni, '^^ J JX wiiUelD ^ 
of new iLruits, will respond to your call. Adopt this pokey, and she will leap like a flam 

ing giant into the fight. . . Cntorr-ontinn imnossible. and 

This policy, for the conduct of the war, will render foreign ;°t"^«°^*^;";j^P°;,;^5 ,',,^,^ 
the arms of fhe republic invincible. It will bring the conflict to a 'y^^fj^^^'^^'^^^l 
peace on a permanent basis. Governor of Illinois. 



•|^24 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

We have lost thousands of our best men, and whole regiments and batteries, 
in the conflicts of this fearful war; but we have not to deplore the decimation of 
the ranks of gallant regiments, led by timid and halting generals on fruitless and 
purposeless campaigns, prosecuted without skill or vigor, and Avith the deplorable 
morale of a fear to punish traitors not actually in arms, and the employment of 
the best strength of their armies in protecting rebel property. 

Belmont, Donelson, Island No. 10, Shiloh, Corinth, Parker's cross-roads, Port 
Gibson, Raymond, Champion hills. Black river, siege of Vicksburg, Perry ville, 
ytone river, Chickamauga, Lookout mountain, Atlanta, Franklin, JS'ashville, and 
the triumphal march of 8herman, speak in thunder tones of the consolidated 
efforts of Illinois, vieing with the volunteers of other states in battling for the 
union. 

Our total quota, under calls of the president, prior to Dec. 1, 186t, was, 197,360. 

In prompt support of the government at home, and in response to calls for 
troops, the state stands pre-eminently in the lead among her loyal sisters; and 
every click of the telegraph heralds the perseverance of Illinois generals and the 
indomitable courage and bravei'y of Illinois sons, in every engagement of the war. 
Our state has furnished a very large contingent to the fighting strength of our 
nation.il army. In the west, the history of the war is brilliant with recitations 
of the skill and prowess of our general, field, staff and line ofiicers, and hundreds 
of Illinois boys in the ranks are specially singled out and commended by Generals 
Grant, Sherman, and other generals of this and other states, for their noble deeds 
and manly daring on hotly contested fields. One gallant Illinois boy is mentioned 
as being the first to plant the stars and stripes at Donelson ; another, at a critical 
moment, anticipates the commands of a superior oiEcor, in hurrying forward an 
ammunition train, and supervising hand grenades, by cutting short the fuses of 
heavy shell, and hurling them, with his own hands, in front of an assaulting col- 
umn, into a strong redoubt at Vicksburg; and the files of my office and those of 
the adjutant-general are full of letters mentioning for promotion hundreds of pri 
vate soldiers, who have, on every field of the war, distinguished themselves by 
personal gallantry, at trying and critical periods. The list of promotions from the 
field and staff of our regiments to lieutenant and major-generals, for gallant con- 
duct and the prerequisites for efficient and successful command, compare brilliantly 
with the names supplied by other states, and is po.-sitive proof of the wisdom of 
of the government in conferring honors and responsibilities; and the patient, vigi- 
lant and tenacious record made by our veteran regiments, in the camp, on the 
march and in the field, is made a subject of praise by the whole country, and will 
be the theme for poets and historians of all lands, for all time. 

Prominent among the many distinguished names who have borne their early 
commissions from Illinois, 1 refer, with special pride, to the character and price- 
less services to the country of Ulysses S. Grant. In April, 1861, he tendered 
his personal services to me, saying, " that he had been the recipient of a military 
education at West Point, and that now, Avhen the country was involved in a war 
for its preservation and safety, he thought it his duty to offer his services in de- 
fense of the union, and that he would esteem it a privilege to be assigned to any 
position where he could be useful." The plain, straightforward demeanor of the 
man, and the modesty and earnestness which characterized his offer of assistance, 
at once awakened a lively interest in him, and impressed me with a desire to se- 
cure his counsel for the benefit of volunteer organizations then forming for gov- 
ernment service. At first, I assigned him a desk in the executive oflice^ and his 
familiarity with military organization and regulations made him an invaluable 
assistant in my own and the office of the adjutant-general. Soon his admirable 
qualities as a military commander became apparent, and I assigned him to com- 
mand of the camps of organization at " Camp Yates," Springfield, " Camp Grant," 
Mattonn, and "Camp Douglas," at Anna, Union county, at which the 7th, 8th, 9th, 
10th, lith, 12th, 18th, 19th and 21st regiments of Illinois volunteers, raised under 
the call of the president, of the 15th of April, and under the "ten regiment bill," 
of the extraordinary session of the legislature, convened April 23d'^ 1861, were 
rendezvoused. His employment had special reference to the organization and 
muster of these forces— the first six into United States, and the''^last three into 



IN ILLINOIS. 225 

the state service. This -was accomplished about May 10, 18C1, at which time he 
left the state for a brief period, on a visit to his father, at Covington, Kentucky. 
The 21st regiment of Illinois volunteers, raised in Macon, Cumberland, Piatt, 
Douglas, Moulcrie, Edgar, Clay, Clark, Crawford and Jasper counties, for thirty- 
day state service, organized at the camp at Mattoon, preparatory to three years' 
service for the government, had become very much demoralized, under the thirty 
days' experiment, and doubts arose in relation to their acceptance for a longer 
period. 1 was much perplexed to find an efficient and. experienced officer to take 
command of the regiment and take it into the three year.s' service. 1 ordered the 
regiment to Camp Yates, and after consulting Hon. Jesse K. Dubois, who had 
many friends in the regiment, and Col. John S. Loomis, assistant adjutant-general, 
who was at the time in charge of the adjutant-general's office, and on terms of 
personal intimacy with Grant, I decided to offer the command to him, and accord- 
ing telegraphed Captain Grant, at Covington, Kentucky, tendering him the colo- 
nelcy. He immediately reported, accepting the commission, taking rank as colo- 
nel of that regiment from the 15th day of June, 1861. Thirty days previous to 
that time the regiment numbered over one thousand men, but in consequence of 
laxity in discipline of the commanding officer, and other discouraging obstacles 
connected with the acceptance of troops at that time, but six hundred and three 
men were found willing to enter the three years' service. In less than ten days, 
Colonel Grant filled the regiment to the maximum standard, and brought it to a 
state of discipline seldom attained in the volunteer service, in so short a time. 
His was the only regiment that left the camp of organization on foot. He marched 
from Springfield to the Hlinois river, but, in an emergency requiring troops to 
operate against Missouri rebels, the regiment was transported by rail toQuincy, 
and Colonel Grant was assianed to command for the protection of the Quincy and 
Palmyra, and Hannibal and St. Joseph railroads. He soon distinguished himself 
as a regimental commander in the field, and his increased rank was recognized 
by his friends in Springfield, and his promotion insisted upon, before his merits 
and services were fairly understood at Washington. His promotion was made 
upon the around of his military education, fifteen years' service as a lieutenant 
and captain in the regular army, (during which time he was distinguished in the 
Mexican war,) his great success in organizing and disciplining his regiment, and 
for his ener^retic and vigorous prosecution of the campaign in north Missouri, 
and the earnestness with which he entered into the great work ot waging war 
against the traitorous enemies of his country. His first great battle was at Bel- 
mont,— an eniragement which became necessary to protect our southwestern army 
in .Missouri from overwhelming forces being rapidly consolidated against it trom 
Arkansas, Tennessee and Columbus, Kentucky. The struggle was a desperate 
one, but the tenacity and soldierly qualities of Grant and his invincible little 
armv, cave us the first practical victory in the west. 'Ihe balance of h'^ shmmg 
record^ is indelibly written in the history of Henry Donelson, Shiloh Corinth 
Vicksburg, Chattanooga, the Wilderness, siege of Kichmond and the inticate 
and difficult commandos lieutenant-general of the armies of *e union-written 
in the blood and sacrifices of the heroic braves who 1?^^%^'^ lf,'J°"°J. "^^^^hl 
glorious victory-written upon the hearts and ^e^""«^, f l^v/fn Tlue '' The 
are at the hearth-stones of our gallant and. unconquerable boys in blue. Ihe 
impress of his genius stamps our armies, from one e°d of the ^«P^W'«^ 
other; and the secret of his success in executing his plans, ^^ ^^ ^he love, enthu 

enfeebled and unprep'Jed condition and ^^-^^^f^f^^f^li ^ f,^,! h^Se 

^;ri:sVe'Zj,\i:'':sr:f s )r|{ y^hnnd^. 



22(5 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

and will fill thousands of history's bi-isihtcst pages to the end of time. T know 
well the secret of his power, for, afterward, wlien I saw him at headquarters, 
upon the inarch, and on the Ijattle-field, in his plain, thread-bare uniform, modest 
in his deportment, careful of the wants of the humblest soldier, personally in- 
soecting all the dispositions and divisions of his army, calm and courageous 
amid the most destructive fire of the enemy, it was evident that he had the confi- 
dence of every man, from the highest officer down to the humblest drummer boy 
in his whole command. His generalship rivals that of Alexander and Xapoleon, 
and his armies eclipse those of Greece and Rome, in their proudest days of impe- 
rial grandeur. He is a gift of the Almighty Father to ilie nation, in its extremity, 
and he has won his way to the exalted position he occupies through his own great 
perseverance, skill and indomitable bravery, and it is inexcusably vain for any 
man to claim that he has made Grant, or that he has given Grant to the country, 
or that he can control his great genius and deeds for the private ends of selfish 
and corrupt political ambition. 

With regard to our future course, T am here to-day to say in behalf of the loyal 
millions of Hlinois, and 1 trust this general assembly is prepared to say, and to 
throw into the face of Jeff Davis and of his minions, and of ail traitors who would 
destroy our union, the determined response that in the booming thunders of Far- 
ragut's cannon, in the terrible onslaught of Sherman's legions, in the flaming 
sabers of Sheridan's cavalry, and in the red battle glare of Grant's artillery, our 
voice is still for war — war to the knife — all the dread enginery of war — persist- 
ent, unrelenting, stupendous, exterminating war, till the last rebel shall lay down 
his arms, and our flag float in triumph over the land. 

And when our own Illinois, upon some national holiday, shall meet all our re- 
turning soldiers, as they shall pass in serried ranks, with their old battle-scarred 
banners and shivered cannons, and rusty bayonets and sabers — with rebel flags 
and rebel trophies of every kind — at this mighty triumphal procession, surpassing 
the proudest festivals of ancient Rome and Greece, in their palmiest days, then 
the loud plaudits of a grateful people will go up : All hail to the veterans who 
have given our flag to the God of storms, the battle and the breeze, and conse- 
crated our country afresh to union, liberty aud humanity. 

The spirit of the people may be learned from the action of some of 
its religious bodies. The Synod of Illinois at its meeting in Jackson- 
ville, passed, unanimously, a series of resolutions, of which the follow- 
ing is the last. 

" And, finally, we urge all the members of our churches to sustain with a generous con- 
fidence the government and all who do its biddings, and to cherish such a view of the mo- 
mentous importance and sacredness of our cause that they will bear with cheerfulness all 
the sacrifices which the war imposes ; and whether it be long or short, cheerfully pour out, 
if needs be, the last ounce of gold, and the last drop of blood, to bring the contest to a rio-ht- 
eous issue." ° 

How, as the war progressed, sympathy with the south was met, is 
well-illustrated by the following account of a scene which took place 
in the state legislature. The writer says : 

A great sensation was created by a speech by Mr. Funk, one of the richest 
farmers in the state, a man who pays over $3,000 per annum taxes toward the 
support of the government. The lobby and gallery were crowded with spectators. 
Mr. Funk rose to object to trifling resolutions, which had been introduced by the 
democrats to kill time and stave off a vote upon the appropriations for the support 
of the state government. He said : 

Mr. Speaker, I can sit in my seat no longer and see such by-play goin<r on. 
Ihese men are trifling with the best interests of the country. They should have 
asses ears to set off their hea-ds, or they are traitors or secessionists at heart. 

1 say that there are traitors and secessionists at heart in this senate Their 
actions prove it Their speeches prove it. Their gibes and laughter and cheers 
here, nightly, when their speakers get up to denounce the war and the adminis- 
tration, prove it. 



IN ILLINOS. JOY 

I can sit here no longer and not tell these traitors what I think of them. And 
while so telling them, 1 am responsible, myself, for what I say. 1 stand upon my 
own bottom. 1 am ready to meet any man on this floor in any manner from a 
pin's point to the mouth of a cannon upon this charge against these traitors. 1 
am an old man of sixty-five, I came to Illinois a poor boy, I have made a little 
something for myself and family. I pay |3,000 a year taxes. I am willing to 
pay $6,000, aye, $12,000, [the old gentleman striking the desk with a blow that 
would knock down a bullock, and causing the inkstand to fly in the air,] aye, [ 
am willing to pay my whole fortune, and then give my life to save my country 
from these traitors that are seeking to destroy it. 

Mr. Ir^peaker, you must please excuse me, I could not sit longer in my seat and 
calmly listen to these traitors. My heart, that feels for my poor country, would 
not let me. My heart, that cries out for the lives of our brave volunteers in the 
field, that these traitors at home are destroying by thousands, would not let me. 
Tes, these traitors and villains in this senate [striking his clenched fist on the 
desk with a blow that made the senate ring again], are killing my neighbors' boys 
now fighting in the field. I dare to say this to these traitors right here, and I am 
responsible for what I say to any one or all of them. Let them come on now, 
right here. 1 am sixty-five years old, and I have made up my mind to risk my 
life right here, on this "floor, for my country. []\lr. Funk's seat is near the lobby 
railing, and a crowd collected around him, evidently with the intention of pro- 
tecting him from violence, if necessary. The last announcement was received 
with great cheering, and I saw many an eye flash, and many a countenance grow 
radiant with the light of defiance.] 

These men sneered at Col. Mack a few days since. He is a^small man. But I 
am a large man. I am ready to meet any of them, in place of Col. ]\Iack. _ I am 
large enough for them, and 1 hold myself read 7 for them now and at any time. 

Mr. Speaker, these traitors on this floor should be provided with hempen collars. 
They deserve them. They deserve hanging, 1 say, [raising his voice and violently 
striking the desk,] the country would be the better for swinging them tip. I go 
for hanging them, and I dare to tell them so, right here to- their traitorous faces. 
Traitors should be hung. It ivould be the salcaiion of the country to hang them. 
For that reason I must rejoice at it. Mr. Speaker, I beg pardon of the gentlemen 
in this senate who are not traitors, but true, loyal men, for what I have said. 1 
only intend it and mean it for secessionists at heart. They are here in this sen- 
ate. I see them gibe, and smirk, and grin at the true union man. Must 1 deiy 
them ? I stand here ready for them, and dare them to come on What man, 
with the heart of a patriot, could stand this treason any longer? 1 have stood it 
lontr enoutrh. I will stand it no more. 1 denounce these men and their aiders 
and abettors as rank traitors and secessionists. Hell itself could not spew out a 
more traitorous crew than some of the men thai disgrace this legislature, tins 
state, and this country. For myself, 1 protest against and denounce their treason- 
able acts. 1 have voted against their measures; I will do so to the end. i wi 1 
denounce them as long as God gives me breath; and I am ready to meet the trai- 
tors themselves here or anywhere, and fight them to the death 

I said I paid §3 000 a vear taxes. 1 do not say it to brag of it. It is my duty, 
yes Mr Speaker my privilege, to do it. But some of these traitors here, who are 
Skingn^ghrand Ja^o put 'their miserable little bills and f aims thro^^^^^^ 
legislature to take money out of the pockets of the people, are f lk^°:| «^ «;. /' S^ 
taxes. They are hypocrites as well as traitors. 1 heard ^^^^J^, ^^J^^^^^. ^7^^^^ 
about high taxes in this way, who do not pay five dollars to the suppoit ot the 
government. I denounce them as hypocrites as well as traitors 
^ -Thp r..n«nr, f.hpv nretend to be afraid of high taxes is that they do not want to 

!y want to embarrass the govern- 
secessionists to conquer our boys 



The reason thev nretend to be afraid ot higb taxes is luai mey u^ ..uu . 

ine reason tney P^^.*^"" ^ , ^i.^Upj-g They want to embarrass the govern- 
vote money for the relief ot the soiaiers. xaey v>a ^ „„nr.iiAv nnr bnvs 

ment and stop the war. They want to aid the secessionist to conque our boy 
in the field. They care about high taxes ! They are picayune ^f/^;^> ^^^^^^^^^ 
pay no taxes at all, and never did, and never hope or expect to. This is an excuse 



of traitors. 



^MTsneaker excuse me I feel for my country, in this her hour of danger 
from tlS^dps of my toes to the ends of my'hair. That is the reason I speak as I 



228 TIMES OF THE REBELLION- 

do. T can not help it. I am bound to tell these men, to their teeth, what they 
are, and what the people, the true, loyal people, think of them. [Tremendous 
cheering. The speaker rapped upon his desk, apparently to stop it, but really to 
add to its volume, for I could see by his flushed cheek and flashing eye that his 
heart was with the brave and loyal old gentleman.] 

Mr. Speaker: I have said my say; I am no speaker. This is the only speech I 
have made, and I do not know that it deserves to be called a speech. 1 could not 
sit still any longer and see these scoundrels and traitors work out their hellish 
schemes to destroy the union. They have my sentiments ; let them one and all 
make the most of them. 1 am ready to back up all 1 say, and I repeat it, to meet 
these traitors in any manner they may choose, from a pin's point to the mouth of 
a cannon. [Tremendous applause, during which the old gentleman sat down, af- 
ter he had given the desk a parting whack, which sounded loud above the din of 
cheers and clapping of hands.] 

I never before witnessed so much excitement in an assembly. Mr. Funk spoke 
with a force of natural eloquence, with a conviction and truthfulness, with a fer- 
vor and pathos which wrought up the galleries and even members on the floor to 
the highest pitch of excitement. His voice was heard in the stores that surround 
the square, and the people came flocking in from all quarters. In five minutes, he 
had an audience that packed the hall to its utmost capacity. After he had con- 
cluded, the republican members and spectators rushed up and took him by the 
hand to congratulate him. 

In the month of August, 1863, a riot took place at Danville, the de- 
tails of which were thus given at the time : 

The difBculty grew out of a long standing hostility, fed and aggravated by the 
copperhead leaders of the neighborhood, which sooner or later would have pro- 
duced, as it has produced in many places in this state, collisions, and riots, but 
tiie immediate cause seems to have been a fuss between a Colonel Hawkins, of 
Tennessee, and a copperhead, about a butternut emblem worn by the latter on 
Friday. A melee followed in which Colonel Guinup, who was a spectator and 
took no part, was hit with a large stone by a copperhead, and repaid the compli- 
ment by whipping his assailant badly. Here the disturbance ended, and might 
have staid ended, if the copperheads had not been bent on war. On Saturday, 
Hawkins made a speech, in pursuance of an appointment previous to the fight. 
The union men, desirous to avoid all chances of collision, urged him not to speak, 
but a good many people having come into town from the country to hear him, he 
spoke. There was no disturbance, and nothing to make it, but the copperheads 
prepared for battle. The Courier says : 

Saturday and Sunday passed without any open demonstration, though there 
were evidences on every hand of "something going on" among the copperheads. 
Horsemen came clattering into town after midnight, signal shots were heard at 
intervals until after daylight, in the direction of the mines. The union men were cool 
and collected. 1'hey had been so clearly in the right and had sacrificed so much 
for the sake of peace, that forbearanc* had ceased to be a virtue, and maintain 
ing the defensive, they were prepared for anything that might transpire. On Mon- 
day morning, before daylight, the signal guns were more frequent, and lights were 
observed in the houses of well-known copperheads residing in the town. Befor" 
ten o'clock, rumors were rife of a grand rally of the Knights of the Golden Cil 
cle a few miles distant, and, about noon, they came marching into town in regu- 
lar line of battle, armed with shot-guns, rifles, picks, axes, shovels, spades, clubs, 
corn-cutters, hatchets, and every conceivable weapon. Three fourths of the mot- 
ley army were coal-diggers. They marched to the public-square. The union 
men, in order to gain time, entered into a proti'acted negotiation, in which they 
agreed to deliver up certain leading unionists, who were especially obnoxious to 
the copperheads. This, of course, was a ruse to gain time, and the leading rebels 
suspecting as much, precipitated a collision. 

It was not positively known which fired the first shot, they began and followed 
in such quick succession. Payne, the original cause of the difiiculty, lell, pierced 
through the heart at the first discharge. The copperheads fired "wildly and at 



IN ILLINOIS. 13J 

random, while the union men took deliberate aim and made up in accuracy -vThat 
they lacked in numbers. Myers, another copperhead, was shot through the" heart, 
and ran about a hundred yards, when he expired. An Irishman, whose name our 
informant did not learn, was also killed. Others were wounded. Sliortly after 
Payne received his quietus, his brother, who is the sheriff of the county and a 
virulent copperhead, was wounded in the arm. The provost marshal attempted to 
summon a posse to quell the disturbance. Wm. Lamb, an old and hii^hly esteemed 
citizen and a leadino; merchant, was summoned among others. He was armed for 
the defense of his family and property against the raid which had been threat- 
ened for two days, but, up to this moment, had taken no part. He advanced to- 
ward the curbstone, when a well-known copperhead, whose name we have forgot- 
ten, took deliberate aim and shot him through the heart. He fell and instantly 
expired. Here we record an act of atrocity akin to the inhuman butchery of 
Colonel O'Brien, by a brutal mob in the streets of New York, but without another 
parallel outside of rebeldom. While he lay motionless and dead upon the ground, 
he was shot a second time, and, after this, another copperhead came up with a 
huge club and crushed the head of the corpse by a tremendous blow. 

Colonel Hawkins had a finger shot off. Colonel Guinup seemed to bear a 
charmed life. He was in the thickest of the fight, but escaped with a slight 
scratch from a half-spent ball. A number were wounded, but none mortally, be- 
yond those abovementioned. The union men remained in possession of the town, 
and the copperheads rallied at their place of rendezvous outside of the corpora- 
tion. Meanwhile, Captain Park, provost marshal of this district, had been sum- 
moned by telegraph to send a military force to Danville, and left about eight 
o'clock, with one hundred men of the 104th, under command of Captain Dutch, a 
veteran soldier. Upon his arrival, everything was reported quiet. The copper- 
heads were still in camp, however, and the union men, exasperated by the mur- 
der of Mr. Lamb and the brutal outrages to which his dead_ body had been ex- 
posed, were determined upon an attack. This was the situation at daylight, and 
we have watched every click of the telegraph from the west to-day with intense 
interest. But, happily for all concerned, better counsels have prevailed, and a 
dispatch reports all quiet and the excitement subsiding. 

How Gov. Yates re,o:arded those guilty of acts of hostility against 

the government may be learned from the following letter. 

State of Illinois, Executive Department, ) 
Springfield, July 15, 1862. J 

John W. Bosicorlh, Oshaloosa, 111. : ,,.,., ii i. it. 

Dear Sir : I have just received yours of the 10th of July, in which you say that the 
pole froui which floated the stars and stripe., on the Fourth of July, was cut down by se- 
cessionists, and that at a picnic which you are to have, it is threatened that the A a g shall 
be taken down, and you ask me whether you would be justifiable in defending the flag 

with fire-arms? .,. , , „v,otkQ,. tt^.i 

I am astonished at this question. As much so as it you were to ask me ^hetber you 
would have a right to defend your property against robbers or your life «f-°ff ° "■■ '^^Y^' 
You a.k me what you shall do ? I reply, do not raise the American flag ™;;t'^ '"if" " 
voke your secession neighbors-do not be on the aggress.ve-but 7^,^°«„7 y^^^/'^^^'^lJi;^" 
your own soil, or on the public property of the state or 7""^^°^ =^ ^^"^ l^l^\\%;Xlt 
tion, from honest love to';,«( flag, and patriot c devotion o the «»^" ^ i. , 1 s!7 shoot 
zes, and any traitor dares to lay his vnhallorved hand vponU to tear ^t do.cn, then, 1 say, shoot 
him down as you ivould a dog, and J wM pardon you Jor the oJM-^^^^ ^^^^^^^ Governor. 

Another eminent son of Illinois, Gen John A. Logan, just from the 
conquest of Yicksburg, in which he bore a d'stinguishedpait ad- 
dressed the people of his state m words of great power and feeling. 
On one of these occasions, he said : 

Now, fellow-citizens, I have detained you on all ^^--P^/^^^^^f ^Id^dV mf^a 
as I desire. This lengthy speaking -, ^^^j^^^vant to ^ayTfew "o^^ 
great deal of iniury, from the way 1 feel. But i want to say a lew ^ , 

in reference to our soldiers. I have no eulogies to pass, so fai as 1 am concer , 



132 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



upon their conduct," more than what that conduct shows itself entitled to. The 
country knows it; so far as the conduct of the soldiers of the United (States is 
concerned, they know all about it. But I want to appeal to you in behalf of these 
men, that while they are traveling and marching about through the rebellious 
states almost naked, without food sometimes, in the burning sun and in the drench- 
ing storm, in the night and in the day — while they are sleeping upon the cold, 
wet ground, while they are suffering all the toils and privations of camp life such 
as no other soldiers ever endured before, while they are doing that which they 
honestly believe to be their duty to themselves and their country, and to you as 
their countrymen, I want you, as citizens of a loyal count'-y, as citizens of the 
noble State of Illinois, to, at least, extend to them your sympathy, to, at least, feel 
in common with them that their cause is just, to, at least, think, if you can not 
alleviate their sufferings and lessen their privations in the field, that your feelings 
are with them. Say to them, " go on, boys, God bless you," and let the brave fel- 
lows know how you feel toward them. 

Let us have no more letters written from home to the boys who are in the field, 
grumbling and growling, and telling them you wish the unholy war had never be- 
gun, and^hat you wish they were a^ home, and all that sort of thing; for you only 
encourage them to desert the cause of their country. Let us have no more letters 
written to the army from parents, telling their children that if they come home, 
to come by a certain man's house, and he will tell them the best way to get where 
they can meet other deserters, and be protected. Let us have no more of this. 
Write to them in this way : say to them, my son, as long as there is an armed 
rebel in the government, as long as there is a traitor in arms against the United 
States, be true to the flag of your country; be true to the oath you took when you 
entered the army. Do your duty, and when your country needs you no longer in 
the field, come home, and we will welcome you with outstretched arms. If you 
die, my brave son, be buried as a fiiithful soldier, whose last act was in discharge of 
a patriot's duty. Let history render your name immortal as one of the gallant 
men who died that your country might live. Let your country be proud to in- 
scribe your name upon its banners as one of the heroic bead. Let your prayer be 
that the American Hag may be your icinding sheet, tvhile your spirit icings its 
way to the haven oj rest reserved for the brave soldiers of the American union. 

Talk that way to your boys, to your husbands, to your friends, and you will 
hear such a shout of joy come up from the camps in the land of the foe, as will 
do your hearts good. Let the poor soldiers feel that in the performance of their 
arduous and fatiguing duties, they have comfort at home, as well as cheers in the 
army. Let men reflect that the graves of these many boys — some seven or eight 
thousand — that we lost in our campaign this summer, who were fighting for their 
country — only remember that their gaping wounds, while they lay weltering in 
their gore, like empty mouths, spoke out in thunder tones to their friends at home, 
" Dear friend and companion of mine, here, look at this bleeding gash that hag 
been made by traitorous hands. Will you not avenge my blood ? Will you not 
unfurl the banner of your country and lift a single joyous anthem to the tune of 
this union, while the shouts of victory are going up from each and every battle- 
field in the land ? Will you not avenge the blood of your brothers or your sons, 
killed by men who are attempting to destroy our national existence ? Swear 
that you will — that while there is a remnant of that battle-torn flag left, you will 
strike such blows as will assist my country in ridding the land of all its foes." 

You, citizens of Perry and Franklin counties, who are assembled here to-day, 
let the words of dying Dollins, and a dying Keese speak to you. Let the last 
words of the noble boys who fell as brave soldiers in the ranks, speak in thunder 
tones to you, in reference to your conduct in future. Listen to the words of Col. 
Dollins, in the last agonies of death. He was a brave, true patriot, as ever bled 
for his country's cause. When he was pierced by the leaden messenger of death, 
he sank back, and said he, " Boys, go on, let me see the flag of my country planted 
on the enemy's ramparts." The brave Reese said : " Tell Logan to tell the peo- 
ple at home that I died an honest man and a brave soldier." So help me God, I 
will tell them as long as I live, that he died an honest man and a brave soldier. 
My countrymen, do not the words of such men as that speak to you with a voiqe 



IN ILLINOIS. ■ -joQ 

that can not be misunderstood ? They died because of traitorous hands Thev 
died because of a rebellion against the best government on earth They died be 
cause they were patriots and loved their country and their friends— loved peace 
harmony and good will. They died for that reason only; and when in their 
graves, and a little board is put at their heads to mark the spot were they sleep 
the sleep of the fallen brave, you iind inscribed upon it: This man died at the bat- 
tle of so-and-so; a loyal man, a true, union soldier, fighting under the tiag of hia 
country. Can Jeff. Davis have such a history written on the head-boaM of his 
grave ? Can it be said, he died a patriot and a lover of his country ? No. But 
in a few brief words, his history may be written on the head-board that will mark 
the grave where he will lie— A traitor sleeps here! This is the difference that 
there is between a patriot and the men who are at war against the government. 

If you could only have seen the daring deeds performed by some of your sons 
and friends, you would never be heard again to utter a sentence against the cause 
they are engaged in. It would not do for me to attempt to describe them. The 
most magnificently grand history that can be written of the daring deeds of many 
men, is written on the flag that has been sent to Perry county, by the colonel of 
the old 3Ist regiment. It was planted upon the bulwarks and ramparts of Vicks- 
burg. The staff was cut down three times, and three times was put to2;ether 
again. One hundred and sixty-three bullet-holes through a flag is the grandest 
history of heroic deeds that can be written or made by any set of men. Let all 
look at that flag. These men, however, have not excelled others. There are men 
who have done just as daring deeds. In fact, all have performed the same kind 
of heroic actions. They have all won for themselves a name as brave, good, faith- 
ful and true soldiers of the union. They are united in a common cause, heart 
and hand ; they are truly a band of brothers. That little army is indeed a band 
of brothers. They live together, they love one another, they fight for one another, 
and they would die for one another. All they ask on earth is, that when they die 
they may be buried side by side one another. 

But there ai-e many who object to the prosecution of this war. I hear it said, 
that enough blood has been spilt already ; that we ought to stop it; that this war 
ought to cease. I hear of men making speeches around through the country, and 
appealing to the women and children to know if this war has not gone on long 
enough, and if it ought not to be stopped before any more blood is shed? They 
appeal to the old, gray-headed men, and they say, you have lost your brothers, 
your sons, and grandsons. The soil is wet with their blood. It is a bloody war, 
an unnatural war, hence let us stop it. Fellow-citizens, it is true that many a 
brave man has been lost. We have lost many a brave soldier. Perry county has 
buried many of her cherished sons. On the soil of the south tve have buried 
many more, icho there sleep the sleep that knoivs no ivalcing. But we have buried 
them with honor. They have died like true patriots and soldiers, shouting, " let 
me die like a soldier 0/ the imion." I tvould rather die like a soldier than live 
like a traitor. 'J'hey want to stop the war to prevent the further effusion of blood. 
Fellow-citizens, this government is a government that we all love or once loved. 
We love the people, the country, the rivers, the rocks, the trees, every thing in it. 
They are ours. It is our people, our rivers, our lakes, our shores, our rocks, our 
mountains, our rills, our hollows. It is our people, our government— the best and 
brightest that ever existed on earth, and before I would see this war stop until 
the 2:overnment is restored in all its former siqyremacy, I would rather see the 
graves of ourselves, our sons and our brothers, mountains high. I would rather 
see carcases sufficient to make bridges across the widest streams, before this war 
should stop, until the true soldier of the union could wave his saber in his strong 
right hand and cleave the head from every traitor in the land. This government 
is worth fio-htincr for It is worth senerations and centuries of war. It is worth 
the lives of the^best and noblest men in the land, and may they all be sacrificed 
before the war shall stop and leave an armed traitor in the land VN e will lighfc 
for this siovernment, for the sake of ourselves and our children. Our little ones 

SHALL READ IX HISTORY OF THE MEN WHO STOOD BY THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS DARK 
AND GLOOMY HOURS, AND IT SHALL BE THE PROUD BOAST OF MANY THAT THEIR FATHERS 
FELL IN THIS GLORIOUS STRUGGLE FOR AMERICAN LIBERTY. 



134 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION. 



At the first great battle in the ^vest— the taking of Fort Donelson-— 
an unusual proportion of the soldiers of Illinois took part; and so con- 
spicuously that an eastern poet made it a subject of some congratula- 
tory verses, under the caption of 

NEW England's greeting to Illinois. 
O, gales that dash th' Atlantic's swell 

Along our rocky shores ; 
Whose thunders diapason well 

New England's glad hurrahs, — 

Bear to the prairies of the west 

The echoes of our joy; 
The prayer that springs in every breast, 
"God bless thee— Illinois ! " 

0, awful hours, when grape and shell 
Tore through th' unflinching line ; 
"Stand firm, remove the men who fell. 
Close up and wait the sign." 

It came at last : " Now, lads, the steel I " 
The rushing hosts deploy; 
"Charge, boys! " — the broken traitors reel — 
Huzza for Illinois ! 

In vain thy rampart, Donelson, 

The living torrent bars; 
It leaps the wall, the fort is won, 

Up go the stripes and stars. 

Thy proudest mother's eyelids fill, 
As dares her gallant boy. 

And Plymouth Rock and Bunker Hill, 
Yearn to thee — Illinois. 
A few 3^ears ago, Abraham Lincoln left Springfield to assume duties 
the most responsible that have ever fallen to the lot of man. At the 
depot, upon leaving his quiet village home, to assume the presidency 
of this great nation, he said : " A duty devolves upon me which is per- 
haps greater than that which has devolved upon any other man since 
the days of Washington. I hope you, my friends, will all pray that 
I may receive Divine assistance, without which, I can not succeed; 
but with which success is certain." " Yes, yes, we will pray for you," 
was the response of his townsmen, as bareheaded and in tears, they 
bade him the farewell, from which he was never to return, except to 
his burial, the most sublime and solemn in history. How he discharged 
those duties, has its answer in the hearts of the American jJeople. On 
the 14th of April, 18G5, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Never was 
such grief known since the world was. Never before had a human 
being accomplished so great a good. Such was the lot of this plain 
man, whom Illinois gave to the Nation in her day of sore trouble. 
"Washington is called the Father of his country; Lincoln its Savior. 
As the memory of Washington is the most venerated, so the memory 
of Lincoln is the most beloved of mortals. 

On an adjoining page is his last message to his countrymen; the most sublime 
document of the kind ever written. It is a sacred legacy of elevated Christian 
wisdom, of tender, beautiful benevolence. 



PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S INAUGUEAL ADDEESS, MARCH 4, 1865. 
Fellow-Countrymen : — 

At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential ofBce, there is 
less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then, a state- 
ment, somewhat in detail, of a course to be pursued, seemed fitting and proper. 
Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been 
constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still 
absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new 
could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly 
depends, is as well known to the public as to myself; and it is, I trust, reason- 
ably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no pre- 
diction in regard to it is ventured. 

On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago, all thoughts were 
anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it — all sought to avert 
it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted alto- 
gether to SAVING the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking 
to DESTROY it without war — seeking to dissolve the Union, and divide effects, by 
negotiation. Both parties deprecated war : but one of them would make war rather 
than let the nation survive ; and the other would accept war rather than let it 
perish. And the war came. 

One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally 
over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted 
a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was, somehow, the 
cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest, was the 
object for which the insurgents would rend the Union, even by war, while the Gov- 
ernment claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of 
it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has 
already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease 
with, or even before, the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier 
triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible, 
and pray to the same God ; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may 
seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing 
their bread" from the sweat of other men' s faces : but let us judge not, that we 
be not jud-ed. The prayers of both could not be answered— that of neither has 
been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. " Wo unto the world 
because of offenses 1 for it must needs be that offenses come ; but wo to that man by 
whom the offense cameth." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of 
those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having 
continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives 
to both North and South this terrible war, as the wo due to those by whom the 
offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes 
which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him ? Fondly do we hope- 
fervently do we pray-that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. 
Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondman s two 
hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of 
blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was 
said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said : " The judgments of the 
Lord are true and righteous altogether." 

With MALICE toward none ; with charity for all ; with firmness in the ngh , a 
God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in ; to bind 
up the nation's wounds ; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and 
, J „,>r,.^. In An nil which may achieve and cherish a juat 

for his widow, and his orphan— to ao an «un." ^ j 

and a lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations. 



136 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

Lincoln has been termed a second Washington. He was second 
to no man. Thei-e can be no second Wasliington, more than a second 
Moses, or Euclid, or Luther, or Shakspeare, or Napoleon, or even a 
Lincoln. Providence in its illimitable diversity has no such contract- 
ed pjowers as to require a repetition. Once created, men of especial 
qualities perform their predestined -work, 'pass away and are seen no 
more. 

"Washington and Lincoln are often compared. Earely have two 
men been so much alike. Rarel}'^ have two men been so much unlike. 
In opportunities for beneficence, in moral greatness; in that rare 
combination of common qualities included in the simple word Wis- 
dom, they were alike; in all else unlike. It is the misfortune of the 
American people that of the private and domestic life of Washington, 
they have only slight knowledge. A full truthful record of a few 
days of familiar and unrestricted intercourse with him by his fireside 
would more than include it all. The literary gentleman to whom 
was committed his papers for publication, with a naiu'owness, the 
common result of an exclusively student life, suppressed all the im- 
i^roprieties and presented to us the man Washington as one without 
blemish. He was a God not a man. It is refreshing to knoAV Irom 
other sources, that he was like other mortals. He occasionally wrote 
in bad grammar, often spelt incorrectly, was unduly sensitive to public 
opinion, and when his soul was aroused by sight of wrong, although a 
praying man, sometimes uttered oaths. Even his accepted portrait, 
the famous picture by Gilbert Stuart, is erroneous. It presents us as 
Washington, a round faced, rosy cheeked man. The late venerable 
Josiah Quincy, Sr., who saw him often, writing in 1859, said his lace 
was long and colorless, his complexion dark and sallow. The Salem 
portrait which Mr. Quincy testified "satisfied his recollection " so 
represents him, showing a countenance long and thin, a long aquiline 
nose, and the general expression grave and of a severe and almost 
forbidding dignity. 

Washington was reared among the courtl}'' Virginia planters, 
English gentry, living in an English colony, surrounded by their 
servitors of a sable hue, and was the noblest specimen of the slave- 
holder ever known. His sense of justice led him to condemn the in- 
stitution, and he, by will, gave freedom to his people. We saw in 
1862, in the alcove containing his private library, in the Boston 
Atheneum, a small book with the name of G. Washington written 
in it, and entitled "Rum and Slavery." Washington was one of the 
most reserved, dignified of men. The majesty of his presence awed 
beholders. He looked more like a King than any King on record. 
Pre-eminently grave, few ever saw Jiim laugh, and it is not known 
that he ever perjjetrated a witicism. It is told that an acquaintance, 
on a wager, greeted him on the street with a familiar slap between 
the shoulders. The great man turned and gave such a withering look 
to the intruder as to forever prevent a repetition, accompanying it 
with the vehement exclamation: "What have I done, sir, that you 
should insult me in this manner?" Washington was a born subject 
of royalty, a courtly gentleman, impressed with the nicest sense of 
etiquette, and when residing in Philadelphia as President, not only 



IN ILLINOIS. 137 

had his own boots polished like a miiTor, but even the hoofs of the 
horse that he rode! Washington's greatness was mainly moral and 
in his well balanced intellect. His character was one that appealed 
to the imagination by his exclusiveness and exti-aordinary dignity. 

This was united to such rare modesty, such self-sacrificing patriot- 
ism, such magnanimity, such moderation, such foi-bearance, such 
benignancy, such a nice sense of justice and humanity, that among all 
the great leaders that have appeared upon this earth, in the general 
estimation, no character towers so grandly, with such perfect sym- 
metry in all its proportions, with such full satisfaction to one's senses 
of all that is complete and noble in manly dignity and moral great- 
ness as that which is associated with the name and person of George 
Washington. But withal he was without genius. Not a single sen- 
tence he ever uttered or wrote possessed the magnetic force to remain 
embalmed in the memory of this peo^ile. It seems almost like sacri- 
lege to mention it, so delightful is the emotion of reverence when ex- 
ercised toward his memory, that any thing is shocking which 
intrudes upon its full enjoyment. Yet man worship is not the high- 
est wisdom, and history loses its utility just wherein it has conceal- 
ments. 

What diflferent emotions arise when we think of the plain, homely, 
uncouth, philosophic Abraham Lincoln, whose presence never impress- 
ed any body. He bore the weight of the nation's sorrows upon his 
shoulders, and grew to be one of the most sad of men, he that had 
been one of the most jocose. But for his Christian faith and the 
flashes of humor that lighted up and relieved his most gloomy 
hours, he must have been crushed before the assassin's bullet reached 
him. 

He was- a backwoodsman, born and bred with a great brain and a 
great tender loving heart. He philosophized with an integrity so 
rare, that he seemed like one who had mapped a subject on a globe, 
and then revolving it, brought the whole of it successively before 
him to obtain a true view of its relations and proportions. In politi- 
cal questions that in ordinary men take such a deep hold upon the 
feelings as to prevent the inlet of opposing truths, he would mentally 
enter the enemy's country and take part in his battles, that he might 
see with his eyes, and so learn charity for his opinions while he cor- 
rected the errors of his own. It was genius that led him to Predict 
that " the Nation could not endure half slave and hall tree. His 
historv is full of instances of almost feminine tenderness. How beau- 
tiful is the anecdote that is told of him, where fearlul that a mes- 
senger already dispatched, would fail of his mission, he hurries Irom 
the Presidential mansion in the night and through the storm to the 
distant camp to save the life of an humble soldier condemned to die ! 

Eegarding himself, while President, as only Abraham Lincoln, of 
Illinois, doing business at the capitol for the people, the dignity of 
the station never seemed to have occurred to him. Hence he was 
neglectful of the proprieties. One day when abroad in company 
with a collection of elegant gentlemen, he suffers his footsteps to be 
arrested by the importunities of a poor woman. H^ f.^^"^, ^ J^^li^ 
Beating himself upon the ground, takes off his hat and thus barehead- 



138 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

ed pencils on its crown, on a loose slip of paper, a messafi^e of mercy. 
While livinc^ no man was more the subject of opprobrium. Malig- 
nancy and ino;enuity combined to create the most foul expressions of 
contempt. He was an ape, a hyena, a,G:riniiing satyr, and the White 
House, at Washington, but a den where the baboon of Illinois, 
and his disgusting satellites held "their loathsome orgies. Going 
through our lower market one morning during the war, our ears 
were greeted with an expression of hate that was new to us. We 
turned to see the speaker, and there before us stood an immense fat, 
blowsy faced market woman, evidently from the Kentucky side of 
the Ohio, half a mile distant. It was she that had just belched forth 
in coarse bitter tones the epithet, " Old Link.'' Some among us, 
now that Abraham Lincoln has j3assed away, can not speak of his 
memory with equanimity, and for such we give the following inci- 
dent in our personal experience. 

On a hot summer's day in 1842 — just a quarter of a century since, 
we were toiling up on foot a mountain bearing our knapsack. It 
was in New Jersey, Avithin a few miles of the spot where the Dela- 
ware passes through lofty ridges. We paused for a cup of cold 
water at a dilapidated brown house on its summit, and tiiere was 
beguiled into a chat upon old times with a veiy aged man whom we 
found seated before the door. " There is one person," said he " whose 
character I tell my neighbors has been very much mistaken, and that 
is George Washington. I lived in his day and knew him to have been 
one of the greatest scoundrels in existence!" It was a surj)rise to 
us, such an extraordinary opinion, but we felt a satisfaction in the 
reflection that in all probability our e^'es rested upon, in the person 
of this miserable old sinner, the last of the Tories of the American 
Revolution. 

About the year 1935, some seventy years hence, a young man yet 
to be born, may experience a similar surprise in a like expression- in 
regard to the character of Abraham Lincoln. If so, we trust he may 
obtain a similar satisfaction in the reflection that it has come from 
the last of the Copperheads of the American Rebellion. 



A plain, succinct narrative of what is known as " The Chicago 
Conspiracy" has not been written. An interesting article upon it 
was published in the Atlantic Monthly for July, 1865, which pre- 
sents the main facts, though too fanciful in details of conversations 
and some other mattei'S to be all accepted as veritable history. Such 
as it is we j)resent it here entire, with the simple remark that the 
charge has been brought, though we know not whether justl}", that 
it gives undue prominence to the agency of Col. Sweet in exposing 
and suppressing the plot. 

the CHICAGO CONSPIRACY. 

On the eve of the last general election, the country was startled by 
the publication of a Ecport from the Judge Advocate of the United 
States, disclosing the existence of a wide-spread conspiracy at the 
West, which had for its object the overthrown of the Union. This 



IN ILLINOIS. 139 



conspiracy, the Eeport stated, had a militaiy organization, with a 
commander-in-chief, general and subordinate officers, and five hundred 
thousand enrolled members, all bound to a blind obedience to the or- 
ders of their superiors, and pledged to '-take up arms against any 
government found waging war against a people endeavoring to estab- 
lish a government of their own choice." 

The organization, it was said, was in every way hostile to the 
Union, and friendly to the so-called Confederacy ; and its ultimate 
objects were " a general rising in Missouri," and a similar " rising in 
Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, in co-operation with a rebel force which 
was to invade the last-named State." 

Startling and incredible as the report seemed, it told nothing but 
the truth, "and it did not tell the whole truth. It omitted to state 
that the organization was planned in Eichmond; that its operations 
were directed by Jacob Thompson, who was in Canada for that pur- 
pose ; and that wholesale robbery, arson, and midnight assassination 
were among its designs. 

The point marked out for the first attack was Camp Douglas, at 
Chicago. The eight thousand rebel soldiers confined there, being 
liberated and armed, were to be joined by the Canadian refugees and 
Missouri "Butternuts" engaged in their release, and the five thousand 
and more members of the treasonable order resident in Chicago. 
This force, of nearly twenty thousand men, would be a nucleus about 
Mhich the conspirators in other parts of Illinois could gather; and, 
being joined by prisoners liberated from other camps, and members 
of the order from other States, would form an army a hundred thous- 
and strong. So fully had every thing been foreseen and provided 
for, that the leaders expected to gather and organize this vast body 
of men within the space of a fortnight! The United States could 
bring into the field no force capable of withstanding the progress ot 
such an army. The consequence would be, that the whole character 
of the war would be changed; its theater would be shifted from the 
Border to the Free States ; and Southern independence, and the be- 
ginning at the North of that process of disintegration so confident y 
counted on by the rebel leaders at the outbreak of hostilities, would 

have followed. , . ^ ^.i.- i • i,.^^i ^f 

What saved the nation from being drawn into this whirlpool ot 
ruin ? Nothing but the cool brain, sleepless vigilance, and wonder ul 
sagacity of one man-a young officer never read of in the newspa- 
pers-i^moved fromfielddut/becauseof disability but commission^^^ 

I verily believe, by Providence itself to ferret out ^^^^^ ^ ^ ^h s deep- 
er-laidf wider-spread, and more diabolical conspiracy than any that 
darkens the pa^e of history. Other men-and women oo-wex e m^ 
strumental in dragging the dark iniquity to light; ^^^^ 1 ej f^^led^o 
fathom its full enormity, and to discover its point «f ^utbieak^ He 
did that ; and he throttled the tiger when ^^SJ^^Vi d "h "^lOP^^^^ 
serves the lasting gratitude of his country. How e did it I pH)po8e 
to tell in this pa?er. It is a marvelous tale; it will lead n^o^<^ ^^^^ 
romance than history; but, calling to mind what ^ good man once 
said to me, " Write the truth-let people doubt, if they will, i shall 
narrate the facts. 



140 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

There is ncthing remjirkable in the appearance of this j^oung man. 
Nearly six feet high, he has an erect, military carriage, a franl^, manly 
face, and looks every inch a soldier — such a soldier as would stand up 
all day in a square hand-to-hand fight with an open enemy; but the 
keenest eye would detect in him no indication of the crafty genius 
which delights to follow the windings of wickedness wdien burrowing 
in the dark. But if not a Fouche or a Vidocq, he is certainly an able 
man; for, in a section where able men are as plenty as apple-blos- 
soms in June, he was chosen to rejaresent his district in the State 
Senate, and, entering the army a subaltern officer, rose, before the 
battle of Perryville, to the command of a regiment. At that battle a 
rebel bullet entered his shoulder, and crushed the bones of his right 
elbow. This disabled him for field duty, and so it came about that 
he assumed the light blue of the veterans, and on the second of May, 
1864, succeeded General Orme in command of the military post at 
Chicago. 

When fairly settled in the low-roofed shanty which stands, a sort 
(Of mute sentry, over the front gateway of Camj) Douglas, the new 
commandant, as was natural, looked about him. He found the camp 
— about sixty acres of flat, sandy soil, inclosed by a tight board fence, 
.an inch thick, and fourteen feet high — had a garrison of but two regi- 
ments of veteran reserves, numbering, all told, only seven hundred 
men fit for duty. This small force was guarding eight thousand 
.rebel prisoners, one third of whom were Texas rangers, and guerrillas 
who had served under Morgan — wild, reckless characters, louder of 
a fight than of a dinner, and ready for any enterprise, however des- 
perate, that held out the smallest prospect of freedom. To add to the 
seeming insecurity, nearly every office in the camp was filled with 
these j^risoners. They served out rations and distributed clothing to 
their comrades, dealt out ammunition to the guards, and even kept 
the records in the quarters of the commandant. In fact, the prison 
was in charge of the prisoners, not the prisoners in charge of the 
prison. This state of things underwent a change. With the excep- 
tion of a very few, whose characters recommended them to peculiar 
.confidence, all were at once placed where they belonged — on the inner 
side of the prison fence. 

A post-office was connected with the camj), and this next received 
the commandant's attention. Every thing about it apjjeared to be 
regular. A vast number of letters came and went, but they all passed 
unsealed, and seemed to contain nothing contraband. Many of them, 
however, were short epistles on long jjieces of paper, a curious cir- 
cumstance among correspondents with whom stationery was scarce 
and greenbacks not over plenty. One sultry day in June, the com- 
mandant budded a fire, and gave these letters a warming; and lo ! 
presto! the white spaces broke out into dark lines breathing thoughts 
blacker than the fluid that wrote them. Corporal Snooks whis2:)ered 
to his wife, away down in Texas, "The forthe of July is comin', Su- 
key, so be a man ; fur I 'm gwine to celerbrate. I'm gwine up loike 
a rocket, ef I does come down loike a stick." And Surgeant Blower 
said to John Copperhead of Chicago, "Down in 'old Virginia ' I used 
to think the fourth of' July a humbug, but this prison has made me a 



IN ILLINOIS. 141 

patriot. Now I'd like to burn an all-fired sight ef powder, and if 
5'ou help me, and God is willing, I shall do it." In a similar strain 
wrote half a score of them. 

Such patriotism seemed altogether too wordy to be genuine. It 
told nothing, but it darkly hinted at dark events to come" The com- 
mandant bethought him that, the Democratic Convention would as- 
semble on the fourth of July; that a vast multitude of people would 
congregate at Chicago on that occasion ; and that, in so great a throng, 
it would be easy for the chins to gather, attack the camp, and liberate 
the prisoners. '-Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," and the 
young commandant was vigilant. Soon Prison-Square received a 
fresh installment of prisoners. They Avere genuine " Butternuts," out 
at the toes, out at the knees, out at the elbows, out every where, in 
fact, and of every thing but their senses. Those they had snugly 
about them. They fraternized with Corporal Snooks, Sergeant 
Blower, and others of their comrades, and soon learned that a grand 
pyrotechnic display was arranged to come off on Independence day. 
A huge bonfire was to be built outside, and the prisoners were to 
salute the old flag, but not Avith blank cartridges. 

But who Avas to light the outside bonfire? That the improvised 
"Butternuts" failed to discover, and the commandant set his own 
wits to Avorking. He soon ascertained that a singular organization 
existed in Chicago. It Avas called " The Society of the Illini," and its 
object, as set forth by its printed constitution, Avas ''the more perfect 
dcA^elopment of the literary, scientific, moral, physical, and social 
Avelfare of the conservative citizens of Chicago." The commandant 
kncAV a conservative citizen Avhose development Avas not altogether 
perfect, and he recommended him to join the organization. The so- 
ciety needed recruits and initiation-fees, and received the new mem- 
ber Avith open arms. Soon he Avas deep in the outer secrets of the 
order; but he could not penetrate its inner mysteries. Those were 
open to only an elect few Avho had already attained to a " perfect de- 
velopment '"'—of villiany. He learned enough, hoAA-e\^er, to verify the 
dark hints thrown out by the pi-isoners. The society numbered some 
thousands of members, all fully armed, -thoroughly drilled, and im- 
patiently Availing a signal to explode a mine deeper than that in front 
of Petersburg. , 

But the assembling of the Chicago Convention was postponed to 
the twenty-ninth of August, and the fourth of July passed away with- 
out the bonfire and the fireworks. 

The commandant, however, did not sleep. He still kept his wits 
a-working; the bogus " Butternuts " still ate prisoners rations: and 
the red flame still brought out black thoughts on white-let er paper. 
Quietly the garrison was reinforced, quietly increased vigilance Avas 
enjoined upmi the sentinels; and the tranquil, assured look of the 
commandant told no one that he Avas playing with hot coals on a 
barrel of o-unpowder. . , , ^ i„+4-^„ 

So Juh^rolled away into August, and the commandant sent a let er 
giving his view of the state of things to the commanding gene al 
This Tetter has fallen into my hands, and, as might sometimes makes 



142 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

ri^ht, I shall copy a portion of it. It is dated August 12, and, in the 
formal phi-ase customary among military men, begins: 

"I have the honor respectfully to report, in relation to the sup- 
posed organization at Toronto, Canada, which was to come here in 
squads, then combine, and, attempt to rescue the prisoners of war at 
Camp Douglas, that there is an armed organization in this city of five 
thousand men, and that the rescue of our prisoners would be the sig- 
nal for a general insurrection in Indiana and Illinois 

" There is little, if any, doubt that an organization hostile to the 
Government and secret in its workings and character exists in the 
States of Indiana and Illinois, and that this organization is strong in 
numbers. It would be easy, perhaps, at any crisis in public affairs, 
to push this organization into acts of open disloyalty, if its leaders 
should so will 

"Except in cases of considerable emergency, I shall make all com- 
munications to your headquarters on this subject by mail." 

These extracts show that, seventeen days before the assembling of 
the Chicago Convention, the commandant had been convinced that 
mail-bags were safer vehicles of communication than telegraph-wires ; 
that five thousand armed traitors were then domiciled in Chicago; 
that they expected to be joined by a body of rebels from Canada; 
that the object of the combination was the rescue of prisoners at Cam]) 
Douglas; and that success in that enterprise would be the signal for 
a general uprising throughout Indiana and Illinois. Certainl}-, this 
was no little knowledge to gain by two months burrowing in the 
dark. But the conspirators were not fools. They had necks which 
they valued. They would not plunge into open disloyalty until some 
"crisis in public affairs" should engage the attention of the author- 
ties, and afford a fair chance of success. "Would the assembling of 
the Convention be such a crisis? was now the question. 

The question was soon answered. About this time, Lieutenant- 
Colonel B. H. Hill, commanding the military distri(;t of Michigan, re- 
ceived a missive from a person in Canada who represented himself to 
be a major in the Confederate service. He expressed a readiness to 
disclose a dangerous plot against the Government, provided he were 
allowed to take the oath of allegiance, and rewarded according to the 
value of his information. The Lieutenant-Colonel read the letter, 
tossed it aside, and went about his business. No good, he had heard, 
ever came out of Nazareth. Soon another missive, of the same pur- 
port, and from the same source, came to him. He tossed this aside 
also, and went again about his business. But the Major was a South- 
ern Yankee — the "cutest" sort of a Yankee. He hud something to 
sell, and was bound to sell it, even if he had to throw his neck into 
the bargain. Taking his life in his hand he crossed the frontier; 
and so it came about that, late one night, a tall man, in a slouched 
hat, rusty regimentals, and immense jack-boots, was ushered into the 
private apartment of the Lieutenant- Colonel, at Detroit. It was the 
Major. He had brought his wares with him. They had cost him 
nothing, except some small sacrifice of such trifling matters as honor, 
fraternal feeling, and good faith toward brother conspirators, whom 
they might send to the gallows j but they were of immense value — 



IN ILLINOIS. 143 

would save millions of money and rivers of \ojn\ blood. So the Major 
said, and so the Lieutenant-Colonel thought, as, coolly, with his cigar 
in his mouth and his legs over the arm of his chair, he drew the im- 
portant secrets from the rebel officer. Something good mio-ht, after 
all, come out of Nazareth. Tlie Lieutenant-Colonel would trust the 
fellow — trust him, but pay him nothing, and send him back to To- 
ronto to worm out the whole plan from the rebel leaders, and to gather 
the whole details of the projected expedition. But the Major knew 
with whom he was dealing. He had faith in Uncle Sam, and he was 
right in having it; for, truth, to tell, if Uncle Sam does not always 
pa}", he can always be trusted. 

It was not long before the Major reappeared with his budget, which 
he duly ojDcned to the Lieutenant-Colonel. Its contents were inter- 
esting, and I will give them to the reader as the Union officer gave 
them to the General commanding the Northern Deioartment. His 
communication is dated August 16. It says : 

" I have the honor to report that I had another interview last even- 
ing with Major , whose disclosures in relation to a rebel plot for 

the release of the prisoners at Camp Douglas I gave you in my letter 
of the 8th instant. I have caused inquiries to be made in Canada 
about Major , and understand that he does possess the confi- 
dence of the rebel agent, and that his statements are entitled to re- 
spect. 

" He now informs me that he proceeded to Toronto, as he stated he 
would when I last saw him ; that about two hundred picked men, of 
tlie rebel refugees in Canada, are assembled at that place, who are 
armed with revolvers and supplied with funds and transiDortation- 
tickets to Chicago ; and that already one hundred and fifty have pro- 
ceeded to Chicago. That he (Major ) and the balance of the men 

are waiting for instructions from Captain Hines, who is the com- 
mander of the expedition ; that Captain Hines left Toronto last 
Thursday for Chicago, and all this time is doubtless at Niagara Falls, 
making the final arrangements with the chief rebel agents. 

" Major states that Saunders, Holbrook, and Colonel Hicks 

were at Toronto while he was there, engaged in making preparations, 
etc. The general plan is to accomplish the release of the prisoners 
at Camp Douglas, and in doing so they will be assisted by an armed 
organization at Chicago. After being released, the prisoners will be 
armed, and being joined by the organization in Chicago, will be 
mounted and proceed to Camp Morton (at Indianapolis) and there 
accomplish a similar object in releasing prisoners, ihat lor raontHs 
rebel emissaries have been traveling through the Northwest; that 
their arrangements are fully matured ; and that they expect to receive 
large accessions of force from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. They ex- 
pect to destrov the works at Ironton. . .- n 

u Major says further that he is in houHy expectation of re- 
ceiving instructions to proceed to Chicao;o with the balance of the 
party r that he shall put up at the City Hotel, corner of Lake and 
State streets, and register his name as Geoi-ge—-; and that he will 
then place himself in communication with Colonel Sweet, command- 
ins: at Chicago." 



144 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

The Mnjor did not "put up at the corner of Lake and State streets," 
and that foet relieved the Government from the trouble of estimatinof 
the value of liis services, and, what is more to be deplored, rendered 
it impossible for the commandant to recocjnize and arrest the rebel 
leaders during the sitting of the Chicago Convention. What became 
of the Major is not known. He may have repented of his good deeds, 
or his treachery may have been detected and he put out of the way 
by his accomplices. 

It will be noticed how closely the rebel officer's disclosures accord- 
ed with the information gathered through indirect channels by the 
astute commandant. When the report was conveyed to him, he may 
have smiled at this proof of his own sagacit}'; but he made no change 
in his arrangements. Quietly and steaddy he went on strengthening 
the camp, augmenting the garrison, and shadowing the footsteps of 
all suspicious new comers. 

At last the loj'al Democrats came together to the great Conven- 
tion, and with them came Satan also. Bands of ill-favored men, in 
bushy hair, bad whisk}^ and seedy homespun, staggered from the 
railway stations, and hung about the street corners. A reader of 
Dante or Swedenborg would have taken them for delegates from the 
lower regions, had not their clothing been plainly perishable, while 
the devils wear everlasting garments. They had come, they an- 
nounced, to make a Peace President, but they brandished bowie- 
knives, and bellowed for war even in the sacred precincts of the Peace 
Convention. But Avar or j^eace, the commandant was read}^ for it. 

For daj-s reinforcements had poured into the camp, until it actually 
bristled with bayonets. On every side it was guarded with cannon, 
and, day and night, mounted men patrolled the avenues to give notice 
of the first hostile gathering. But there was no gathering. The con- 
spirators were there, two thousand strong, with five thousand Illini 
to back them. From every point of the compass — from Canada, 
Missouri, Southern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, JSTew York and even loyal 
Vermont, bloody minded men had come to give the jieace candidate 
a red baptism. But "discretion is the better part of valor." The 
conspirators saw the preparations and disbanded. Not long alter- 
ward one of the leaders said to me, " We had spies in every public 
place — in the telegraph office, the camp itself, and even dose by the 
commandant's headquarters, and knew, hourly, all that was passing. 
From the observatory, opposite the camp, I myself saw the arrange- 
ments for our reception. We outnumbered you two to one, but our 
forces were badly disciplined. Success in such circumstances was 
impossible; and on the third day of the Convention we announced 
from headquarters that an attack at that time was impracticable. It 
would have cost the lives of hundreds of the prisoners, and perhaps 
the capture or destruction of the whole of us." So the storm blew 
over, witliout the leaden rain, and its usual accompaniment of thunder 
and lightning. 

A dead calm followed, during which the Illini slunk back to their 
holes; the prisoners took to honest ink; the bogus " Butternuts" 
walked the streets clad like Christians, and the Commandant went to 



IN ILLINOIS. 145 

sleep with only one eye open. So the world rolled around into 
November. 

The Presidential election was near at hand, — the great contest on 
which hunu:: the fate of the Republic. The commandant was con- 
vinced of this, and wanted to marslial his old constituents for the 
final struggle between Freedom and Despotism. He obtained a fur- 
lough to go home and mount the stump for the Union. He was 
about to set out, his private secretary was ready, and the carriage 
waiting at the gateway, when an indefinable feeling took possession 
of him, holding him back, and warning liim of coming danger. It 
would not be shaken off, and reluctantly he postponed the journey 
till the morrow. Before the morrow facts were developed Avhich 
made his presence in Chicago essential to the safety of the city and 
the lives of the citizens. The snake was scotched, not killed. It was 
preparing for another and a deadlier spring. 

On the second of November, a well known citizen of St. Louis, 
openly a secessionist, but secretly a loyal man, and acting as a detec- 
tive for the Government, left that city in pursuit of a criminal. He 
followed him to Springfield, tracked him from their to Chicago, and 
on the morning of November 4th, about the hour the commandant 
had the singular impression I have spoken of, arrived in the latter 
city. He soon learned that the bird had again flown. 

" While passing along the street" (I now quote from his report to 
the Provost Marshal General of Missouri), "and trying to decide what 
course to pursue— whether to follow this man to New York, or return 
to St. Louis— I met an old acquaintance, a member of the order of 
'American Knights,' who informed me that Marmaduke was in Chi- 
cao-o After conversing Avith him awhile, I started up the street, and 
about one block farther on met Dr. E. W. Edwards, a practicing 
physician in Chicago (another old acquaintance), whoasked me it i 
knew of any Southern soldiers being in town. I told him I did ; that 
Marmaduke was there. He seemed very much astonis lied, and asked 
how I knew. I told him. He laughed, and then said that Marma- 
duke was at his house, under the assumed name of Burling, and men- 
tioned, as a good joke, that he had a British Vl^f^'Y'''i}'Ll^la 
United States Coniul under that name. 1 gave Edwards ,'^7 caid to 
hand to Marmaduke (who was another 'old acquaintance ), and told 

''''^^t::::^li;:i{^:^^^^^^^^r^^ on the street, going 
tom^y hotT He'saiS Mai-maduke desired to -eniejjndla.com- 
panied him to his house." There in the ^^u^se of a long co w^ 
tion "Marmaduke told me that he and several rebel otbccis «eie in 
Ch car.o to croTerate with other parties in releasing the prisoners of 

ret^d)^:^"Ts t^b|lll^".;i-V- attack on Ca^.p Doug- 
"SrhrL:^ u^oVhl^ldt^a looked L /he had losth,s 



146 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

mother." And Tv^ell he might! A mine had opened at his feet ; with 
but eight hundred men in tlie garrison it was to be sprung upon him. 
Only seventy hours were left ! What would he not give for twice as 
many? Then he might secure reinforcements. He walked the room 
for a time in silence, then, turning to the detective, said, "Do you 
know where the other leaders are?" "I do not." Can't you find 
out from Marmaduke?" "I think not. He said what he did say 
voluntarily. If I were to question him, he would suspect me." That 
was true, and Marmaduke was not of the stuff that betrays a com- 
rade on compulsion. His arrest, therefore, would profit nothing, and 
might hasten the attack for which the commandant was so poorly 
prepared. He sat down and wrote a hurried dispatch to his General. 
Troops! troops! for God's sake, trooj^s! Avas its burden. Sending it 
off by a courier — the telegraph told tales — he rose, and again walked 
the I'oom in silence. After a while, with a heavy heart, the detective 
said, "Good night," and left him. 

What passed with the commandant during the next two hours I 
do not know. He may have prayed — he is a praying man — and there 
was need of praA'er, for the torch was ready to burn millions of prop- 
perty, the knife whetted to take thousands of lives. At the end of 
the two hours, a stranger was ushered into the apartment Avhero the 
commandant was still j^acing the floor. From the lips and pen of this 
stranger I have what followed, and I think it may be relied on. 

He was a slim, light-haired young man, with fine regular features, 
and that indefinable air which denotes good breeding. Eecognizing 
the commandant by the eagle on his shoulder, he said, " Can I see 
you alone, sir?" 'Certainly," answered the Union officer, motioning 
to his secretary to leave the room. "I am a Colonel in the rebel 
army," said the stranger, "and have put my life into your hands, to 
warn you of the most hellish plot in history." Your life is safe, sir," 
replied the other, "if your visit is an honest one. I shall be glad to 
hear what you have to say. Be seated." 

The rebel officer took the proffered chair, and sat there till far into 
the morning. In the limits of a magazine article I can not attempt 
to recount ail that passed between them. The written statement the 
rebel Colonel has sent to me covers fourteen pages of closely written 
foolscap; and my interview with him on the subject lasted five hours, 
by a slow watch. He disclosed all that Judge Holt has made public, 
and a great deal more. Sixty days previously he had left Eichmond 
with verbal dispatches from the Eebel Secretary of AYar to Jacob 
Thompson, the rebel agent in Canada. These dispatches had relation 
to a vast plot, designed to wrap the West in flames, sever it Irom the 
East, and secure the independence of the South. Months before, the 
plot had been concocted by J eft'. Davis at Eichmond ; and in May 
previous, Thompson, supplied with two hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars in sterling exchange, had been sent to Canada to superintend 
its execution. This money was lodged in a bank at Montreal, and 
had furnished the funds which fitted out the abortive expeditions 
against Johnson's Island and Camp Douglas. The plot embraced 
the order of "American Kuights," which was spread all over the 
West, and numbered five hundred thousand men, three hundred and 



IN ILLINOIS. 147 

fifty thousand of whom were armed. A force of twelve hundred men 
—Canadian refugees, and bushwhackers from Southern Illinois and 
Missouri— was to attack Camp Douglas on Tuesday night, the 8th of 
November, liberate and arm the prisoners, and sack Chicago. This 
was to be the signal for a general uprising throughout the West, and 
for a simultaneous advance by Hood upon Nashville, Buckner upon 
Louisville, and Price upon St. Louis. Yallandigham was to head the 
movement in Ohio, Bowles in Indiana, and Walsh in Illinois. The 
forces were to rendezvous at Dayton and Cincinnati in Ohio, New 
Albany and Indianapolis in Indiana, and Rock Island, Chicago and 
Springfield in Illinois; and those gathered at the hitter named phvce, 
after seizing the arsenal, were to march to aid Price in taking St. 
Louis. Prominent Union citizens and officers were to be seized and 
sent South, and the more obnoxious of them were to be assassinated. 
All places taken were to be sacked and destroyed, and a band of a hun- 
dred desparate men was organized to burn the larger Northern cities 
not included in the field of operations. Two liundred Confederate officers 
Who were to direct the military movements, had been in Canada, but 
were then stationed throughout the West, at the various points to be 
attacked, waiting the outbreak at Chicago. Captain Hines, who had 
won the confidence of Thompson by his successful management ot the 
escape of John Morgan, had control of the initian movement against 
Camp Duuglas ; but Colonel Grenfel, assisted by Colonel Marmaduke 
and a dozen other rebel officers, was to manage the military part of 
the operations. All of these officers were at that moment in Chicago, 
waiting the arrival of the men, who were to come in small squads, 
over dili'erent railroads, during the following three days. The rebel 
officer had known of the plot for months, but its atrocious details had 
come to his knowledge only within a fortnight. They had appalled 
him; and though he was betraying his friends, and the South which 
he loved, the humanity in him would not let him rest till he had 
washed his hands of the horrible crime. 

The commandant listened wnth nervous interest to the whole of 
this recital ; but when the Southern officer made the last remark, he 
almost groaned out, — 

" Why did you not come before?" ' 

"I could not. I gave Thompson my opinion of this, and have been 
watched. I think they have tracked me here. Jly life on your streets 
to-night would n't be worth a bad half dollar." 

" True : but what must be done ?" ,^ 

" Arrest the 'Butternuts ' as they come into Chicago. 
" Thiit I can do ; but the leaders are here, with five thousand armed, 
mini to back them. I must take them. Do you know them / 
" Yes ■ but I do not know where they are quarterecU ^ , . , , 
At wo o'clock the commandant showed the rebe officer to his bed 
but went back himself, and paced the floor ^^^^^^ ^^l^^^ . J^,^'^,! 
morning his plan was formed. It was a desperate plan , but despe- 
rate circumstances require desperate expedients. -r.-o o-o-'^ stiff 

In the m-ison was a young Texan who had served on Biaggs stall, 
and unde Mo?Jn in Kentucky, and was, therefore acquainted with 
Hines! Gi^nietlid the other i4bel officers. He fully believed in the 



148 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

tbeoiy of State Rights — that is, that a part is greater than the whole 
— but was an honest man, who, when his word was given, could be 
trusted. One ghince at his open, resolute face showed tiiat he feared 
nothing; that he had, too, that rare courage which delights in dan- 
ger, and courts heroic enterprise from pure love of peril. Early in 
tlie war, he had encountered Colonel De Land, a former command- 
ant of the post, on tiie battle-field, and taken him prisoner. A friend- 
ship th«i sprang up between tlie tAvo which, when the tables were 
turned, and the captor became the captive, was not forgotten. Colonel 
l^e Land made him chief clerk in the medical department, and gave 
liiiu every possible freedom. At that time it was the custom to allow 
citizens free access to the camp; and among the many good men and 
women who came to visit and aid the prisoners was a 3'oung woman, 
the daughter of a well-known resident of Chicago. She met the 
Texan, and a result as natural as the union of hydrogen and oxygen 
followed. But since Adam courted Eve, who ever heard of wooing 
going on in a prison? "It is not exactly the thing," said Colonel 
De Land ; "had j^ou not better pay your addresses at the lady's 
house, like a gentleman?" A guard accompanied the prisoner; but 
it was shrewdly guessed that he staid outside, or paid court to the 
girls in the kitchen. 

This was the state of things when the present commandant took 
charge of the camp. He learned the facts, studied the prisoner's 
face, and remembered that he, too, once went a courting. As he 
walked his room that Frida}^ n'ght, he bethought him of the Texan. 
Did he love tlie State better than he loved his affianced wife? The 
commandant would test him. 

"But I shall betray my friends! Can I do that in honor?" asked 
the Texan. 

"Did you ask that question when you betrayed your countiy?" 
answered the commandant. 

"Let me go from camp for an hour. Then I will give you my 
decision." 

"Very well." 

And unattended the Texan left tne prison. 

What passed between the 3''0ung man and the young woman dur- 
ing that hour, 1 do not know, and. could not tell, if I did know — for 
I am not writing romance, but history. However, without lifting 
the veil on things sacred, I can say that her last words were, "Do 
your duty. Blot out your record of treason." God bless her for 
saying them 1 and let "Amen " be said by every American woman ! 
• On his return to camp, the Texan merely said, "1 will do it," and 
the details of the plans M'cre talked over. He was to escape from the 
prison, ferret out and entrap the rebel leaders. How to manage the 
first part of the dangerous progran^me was the query of the Texan. 
The commandant's brain is fertile. An adoj^ted citizen, in the scav- 
enger line, inaUes periodical visits to the camj) in the way of his 
business, and him tlie commandant sends for. 

"Arrah, yor Honor," the Irishman says, "I ha'nt a tr-raitor. 
Bless your l)eautil'ul sowl; I love the kintry; and besides, it might 
damage me good name and my purt}^ prefession." 



IN ILLINOIS. 149 

Ho is assured that his name will bo all the het((^- for (liftiiif,r a few 
weeks in a dungeon, and— did not the same thing make Tlarvej 
Bird) immortal? 

Half an hour before sunset the scavenger comes into camp with his 
wagon. He tills it with dry bones, broken bottles, decayed food, and 
the rubbish of the prison ; and down below, under a blanket, he sto\v.s 
away the Texan. A hundred comrades gather around to shut off the 
gaze of the guard ; but outside is the real danger. He has to pass 
two gates, and run the gauntlet of half a dozen sentinels. His wagon 
is fuller than usual ; and the late hour — it is now after sunset — will 
of itself excite suspicion. It might test the pluck of a brave man; 
for the sentries' bayonets are fixed, and their guns at the half-trigger; 
but he reaches the outer gate in safety. Now St. Patrick help him ! 
for he needs all the impudence of an Irishman. The gate rolls buck; 
the commandant stands nervously by, but a sentry cries out — 

'•You can't pass; it's agin orders. No wagins kin go out arter 
drum- beat." 

"Arrah, don't be a fool! Don't be after obstructin' a honest man's 
business," answers the Irishman, pushing on into the gateway. 

She soldier is vigilant, for his otBcer's eye is on him. 

"Halt!" he cries again, "or I '11 fire!" 

"Fire! "Waste yer powder on yer friends, like the bloody-minded 
spalpeen jq arc!" says the scavenger, cracking his whip, and moving 
forward. 

It is well he does not look back. If he should, he might be melted 
to his own soap-grease. The sentry's musket is leveled; he is about 
to fire, but the commandant roars out — 

"Don't shoot!" and the old man and the old horse trot off into the 
twilight. 

Not an hour later, two men, in big boots, slouched hats, and brown- 
ish butternuts, come out of the commandant's quarters. With muttled 
faces and hasty strides, they make their way over the dimlj lighted 
road into the city. Pausing, after awhile, before a largo mansion, 
they crouch down among the shadows. It is the house of the Grand 
Treasurer of the Order of American Knights, and into it very soon 
they see the Texan enter. The good man knows him well, and tiiere 
is great rejoicing. He orders up the fatted calf, and soon it is on tho 
table, steaming hot, and done brown in the roasting. When the nieal 
is over, they discuss a bottle of champaign and tlio situation. The 
Texan can not remain in Chicago, for there he will surely be detected. 
He nuist be off to Cincinnati by the first train ; and he will arrive in 
the nick of time, for warm work is daily expected Has lie any 
money about him? No, he has left it behind, with his Sunday clothes, 
in the prison. He must have funds; but the worthy gentleman can 
lend him none, for he is a loyal man; of course he is! was he not tho 
"people's candidate" for Governor? Hut no one ever heard of a 
womin being hanged for treason. With this he nods to his wife, 
who opens her purse, and tosses the Texan a roll of greenback.s 
They are honest notes, for an honest face is on them. At he end ot 
an hour good night is said, and the Texan goes out to find a hole to 
bide in. Down the street he hurries, the long dark shadows foUou ing. 



150 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

He enters the private door of a public house, speaks a magic word, 
and is shown to a room in the upper story. Three low, prolonged 
raps on the wall, and — he is among them. They are seated about a 
small table, on which is a plan of the prison. One is about fortj^-five 
— a tall, thin man, with a wiry frame, a jovial face, and eyes which 
have the wild, roving look of the Arab. He is dressed after the 
fashion of English sportsmen, and his dog — a fine gray bloodhound — 
is stretched on the hearth-rug near him. He looks a reckless, despe- 
rate character, and has an adventurous history. In battle he is said 
to be a thunderbolt — lightning harnessed and inspired with the will 
of a devil. He is just the character to lead the dark, desperate expe- 
dition on which they are entered. It is St. Leger Grenfel. 

At his right sits another tall, erect man, of about thirty, with large, 
prominent eyea, and thin black hair and moustache. He is of dark 
complexion, has a sharp, thin nose, a small, close mouth, a coarse, 
harsh voice, and a quick, boisterous manner. His face tells of dissipa- 
tion, and his dress shows the dandy; but his deep, clear eye and 
pale, wrinkled forehead denote a cool, crafty intellect. This is the 
notorious Captain Hines, the right-hand man of Morgan, and the soul 
and brains of the conspiracy. The rest are the meaner sort of vil- 
lains. I do not know how they looked, and if I did, they would not 
be worth describing. 

Hines and Grenfel spring to their feet and grasji the hand of the 
Texan. He is a godsend — sent to do what no man of them is brave 
enough to do — lead the attack on the front gateway of the j^rison. 
So they affirm, with great oaths, as they sit down, spread out the 
map, and ex2)lain to him the plan of operations. 

Two hundred rebel refugees from Canada, they say, and a hundred 
"Butternuts" from Fayette and Christian counties, have already ar- 
rived; many more from Kentucky and Missouri are coming; and by 
Tuesday they expect that a thousand or twelve hundred desperate 
men, armed to the teeth, will be in Chicago. Taking advantage of the 
excitement of election-night, they propose, with this force, to attack the 
camp and prison. It will be divided into five parties. One squad, under 
Grenfld, will be held in reserve a few hundred yards from the main 
bod}-, and will guard the large number of guns already provided to 
arm the prisonex-s. Another, command of which is offered to the Texan, 
will assault the front gateway, and engage the attention of the eight 
hundred troops quartered in Garrison Square. The work of this 
squad will be dangerous, for it will encounter a force four times its 
strength, well armed and supplied with artillery; but it will be speed- 
ily relieved by the other divisions. Those under Marmaduke, Colonel 
Eobert Anderson of Kentucky, and Brigadier General Charles Walsh 
of Chicago, Commander of the American Kniglits, will simultaneously 
assail three sides of Prison Square, break down the fence, liberate the 
prisoners, and, taking the garrison in rear, compel a general surx-en- 
der. This accomplished, small parties will be dispatched to cut the 
telegraph wires and seize the railway stations; while the main body, 
reinlbreed by the eight thousand and moi*c prisoners, will march into 
the city and rendezvous iu Court House Square, which will be the 
base of further operations. 



IN ILLINOIS. . 151 

The first blow struck, the insurgents will be joined by tlie five 
thousand Illini (American Knii^hts), and, seizing the arms of the city 
— six brass field-pieces and eight hundred Springfield muskets — and 
the arms and ammunition stored in private warehouses, will becin 
the work of destruction. The banks will be robbed, the stores gutted, 
the houses of loyal men plundered, and the railway stations, grain 
elevators, and other public buildings burned to the ground. To facil- 
itate this latter design, the water-plugs have been marked, and a 
force detailed to set the water running. In brief, the war will bo 
brought home to the North; Chicago will be dealt with like a city 
taken by assault, given over to the torch, the sword and the brutal 
lust of a drunken soldiery. On it will be wreaked all the havoc, the 
agony, and the desolation which three years of war have heaped upon 
the South; and its upgoing flames will be the torch that shall light 
u score of other cities to the same destruction. 

It was a diabolical plan, conceived far down in hell amid the thick 
blackness, and brought up by the arch-fiend himself, who sat there, 
toying with the hideous thing, and with his cloven foot beating a 
merry tune on the death's-head and cross-bones under the table. 

As he concludes, Hines turns to the new comer — 

" "Well, my boy, what do you say? Will you take the post of honor 
and of danger?" 

The Texan takes a long breath, and then, through his barred teeth 
blurts out — 

"I will?" 

On those two words hang thousands of lives, millions of money! 

"You are a trump!" shouts Grenfel, springing to his feet. "Give 
us your hand upon it ! " 

A general hand-shaking follows, and during it, Hines and another 
man announces that their time is up: 

" It is nearly twelve. Fielding and I never stay in this d— d town 
after mid-night. You are fools, or you would n't." 

Suddenly, as these words were uttered, a slouched hat, listening at 
the key hole, pops up, moves softly through the hall, and steals down 
the stairway. Kalf an hour later the Texan opens the private door 
of the liichmond House, looks cautiously around for a moment, and 
then stalks on toward the heart of the city. The moon is down, the 
lamps burn dimly, but after him glide the shadows. 

In a room at the Tremont House, not far from this time, the com- 
mandant is walking and waiting, when the door opens, and a man 
enters. His face is flushed, his teeth are clenched, his eyes flashing. 
He is stirred to the depths of his being. Can he be the 'lexan I 

"What is the matter?" asked the commandant. 

The other sits down, and, as if only talking to hi mself^^ tells him. 
One hour has swept away the fallacies of his lifetime. He sees the 
rebellion as it is, the outbreak and outworking of that .'^pirit which 
makes hell horrible. Hitherto, that night, he has ';'c-ted Irom ove, 
not duty. Now he bows only to the All-Kight and the A U-13eaut.fu 1, 
and in his heart is that psalm of work, sung by one ot old, and by all 
true men since the dawn of creation: "Here ami, Lord bend me! 

The first gray of morning is streaking the east, when he goes forth 



152 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

to find a hiding-place. The sun is not up, and the early light comes 
diml}- through the misty clouds, but about him still hang tlie long, 
dark shadows. This is a world of shadows. Only in the atmosphere 
Avjiich soon inclosed him is there no,, night and no shadow. 

Soon the Texan's escape is known at the camp, and a great hue- 
and-cry follows. Handbills are got out, a reward is oifered, and by 
that Sunday noon his name is on every street corner. Squads of 
soMiers and police ransack the city and invade every rebel asylum. 
Strange things are brought to light, and strange gentry dragged out 
of dark closetfs; but nowiiere is found the Texan. The search is well 
done, for the pursuers are in dead earnest; and Captain Ilines, if 
3'ou don't trust him now, you are a fool, with all your astuteness! 

So the day wears away and the night coraeth. Just at dark a man 
enters the jjrivate door of the Tremont House, and goes up to a room 
where the commandant is waiting. He sports a light rattan, wears 
a stove-pipe hat, a Sunday suit, and is shaven and shorn like unto 
Samson. What is the commandant doing with such a dandy? Soon 
the gas is lighted; and lo, it is the Texan! But who in creation 
would know him? The plot, he saj'S, thicliens. More "Butter- 
nuts" have arrived, and the deed will be done on Tuesdaj' night, as 
sure as Christmas is coming. He has seen his men — two hundred, 
picked, and eveiy one clamoring for jiickings. Hines, who carries 
tlie bag, is to give him ten thousand greenbacks, to stop their mouths 
and stuff their pockets, at nine in the morning. 

"And to-morrow night we '11 have them, sure ! And, how say you, 
give you shackles and a dungeon?" asks the commandant, his mouth 
wreathing with grim wrinkles. 

"Anything you like. Anj'thing to blot out my record of treason.^' 

He has learned the words — they are on his heart, not to be razed 
out forever. 

When he is gone, up and down the room goes the commandant, as 
is his fashion. He is playing a desperate game. The stake is awful. 
He holds the ace of trumps — but shall he risk the game upon it ? At 
half past eight he sits down and writes a dispatch to his General. In 
it he says : 

"My force is, as you know, too weak and much overworked — only 
eight hundred men, all told, to guard between eight and nine thous- 
and prisoners. I am certainly not justified in waiting to take risks, 
and mean to arrest these officers, if possible, before morning." 

The dispatch goes off, but still the commandant is undecided. If 
he strikes to-night, Hines may escape, for the fox has a hole out of 
town, and ma}- keep under cover till morning. He is the king-devil, 
and much the commandant wants to cage him. Besides, he holds 
the bag, and the Texan will go out of prison a penniless man among 
sli-angers. Those ten thousand greenbacks are lawful prize, and 
should be the country's dower with tlie maiden. But are not repub- 
lics grcatful? Did not one give a mansion to General McClellan? 
Ah, Captain Hines, that was lucky for you, for, beyond a doubt, it 
Baved your bacon ! 

The comnumdant goes back to camp, sends for the police, and gets 
his blue coats ready. At two o'clock they swoop to the prey, and 



IN ILLINOIS. 153 

before daybreak a hundred birds are in the talons of the ca,i;-le. Such 
another haul of buzzards and ni<;-ht-luiwks never was nnide since 
Gabriel caged the devil and the dark angels. 

Since the foregoing was written the commandant's official report 
has been published. In reference to these arrests, he says, in a dis- 
patch to General Cook, dated Camp Douglas, ISTovembor 7th, four 
o'clock, A. M.: 

"Have made during the night, the following arrests of rebel officers, 
escaped prisoners of war, and citizens in connection with them: 

"Morgan's Adjutant Gcnei-al, Colonel G. St. Lcger Grenfel, in 
company with J. T. Shanks (the Texan), an escaped prisoner of war, 
at Richmond House; Colonel Vincent Marmaduke, brother of Gen- 
eral Marmaduke; Brigadier Genei-al Charles Walsh, of the 'Sons of 
Liberty;' Capitain Cantrill, of Morgan's command ; Charles Traverse 
(Butternut). Cantril and Traverse arrested in Walsh's house, in 
which wei*e found two cart-loads of large size revolvers, loaded and 
capped, two hundred stands of muskets loaded, and ammunition. 
Also seized two boxes of guns concealed in a room in the city. Also 
arrested Buck Morris, Treasurer of ' Sons of Liberty,' having com- 
plete proof of his assisting Shanks to escape, and plotting to release 
prisoners at this camp. 

" Most of these rebel officers were in the city on the same errand in 
August last, their plan being to raise an insurrection and release 
prisoners of Avar at this camp. There are many strangers and sus- 
picious persons in the city, believed to be guerrillas and rebel soldiers. 
Their plan was to attack the camp on election night. All prisoners 
arrested are in camp. Captain Nelson and A. C. Coventry, of the 
police, rendered very efficient service. 
^ ' -^ B. J. Sweet, Col. Com." 

In relation to the general operations I have detailed, the command- 
ant in this report writes as follows: 

"Adopting measures which proved effective to detect the presence 
and identify the persons of the officers and leaders and ascertain their 
plans, it was manifest that they had the means of gathering a force 
considerably larger than the little garrison then guarding between 
eight and nine thousand prisoners of war at Camp Douglas, and that, 
tatdng advantage of the excitement and the large number of persons 
who would ordinarily fill the streets on election night, they intended 
to make a night attack on and surprise this camp, release mid arm 
the prisoner^ of war, cut the telegraph wires, burn the railroad 
depots, seize the banks and stores containing arms and ammuni^ on 
take possession of the city, and commence a campaign for he re Icaso 
of other prisoners of war in the States of Illinois ^^'^ ^"^^^^^^^^^^ 
organizing an army to cfi^ect and give success to the general upnsing 
so long contimplated by the -Sons of Liberty. 

At the Richmond House Grenfel was taken in bed with the ieo^an. 
Tl^y were clapped into irons, and driven off to the prison toge her. 
A fortnight later, the Texan, relating these ^^J^^a o a ^tuanger, 
while the commandant was sitting by at his desk . f;^' 4- 

"Words can not describe my relief when tl>*'-^'; •'' ^/^^""^ ^^^-'^^JJ 
upon us. At times before, the sense of responsibility almost over 



154 TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

powered me. Then I felt like a man who has just come into a 
fortune. The wonder to me now is, how the Colonel could have 
trusted so much to ^ rebel." 

"Trusted!" echoed the commandant, looking up from the Avriting. 
"I had faith in you; I thought you would n't betray me; but I 
trusted your own life in your own hands, that was all. Too much 
was at stake to do more. Your every step was shadowed, from the 
moment j^ou left this camp till you came back to it in irons. Two 
detectives were constantly at your back, sworn to take your life, if 
you wavered for half a second." 

"Is that true?" asked the Texan in a musing "way, but without 
moving a muscle. "I did n't know it, but I felt it in the air!" 

In the room at the Richmond Ilovxse, on the table around which 
were discussed their hellish plans, was found a slip of paj^er, and on 
it, in pencil, was scrawled the following: 

" Colonel — You must leave this house to-night. Go to the Briggs 
House. J. Fielding." 

Fielding was the assumed name of the rebel who burrowed with 
Hines out of town, where not even his fellow-fiends could find him. 
Did the old fox scent the danger? Beyond a doubt he did. Another 
day, and the Texan's life might have been forfeit. Another day, 
and the camp might have been sprung upon a little too suddenly! 
So the commandant was none too soon; and who that reads this can 
doubt that tlirough it he was led and guided by the good Providence 
that guards his country? 

But what said Chicago when it awoke in the morning? Let one of 
its own organs answer. 

"A shiver of genuine horror passed over Chicago yesterday. 
Thousands of citizens, who awoke to the peril hanging over their 
property and their heads in the form of a stupendous foray upon the 
city from Camp Douglas, led by rebel officers in disguise and rebel 
guerrillas without disguise, and concocted by home Copperheads, whose 
houses had been converted into rebel arsenals, were appalled aa 
though an earthquake had opened at their feet "Who can pic- 
ture the horrors to follow the letting loose of nine thousand rebel 
prisoners upon a sleeping city, all unconscious of the coming ava- 
lanche ? With arms and ammunition stored at convenient locations, 
with confederates destributcd here and there, ready for the signal of 
conflagration, the horrors of the scene could scarcely be paralleled in 
savage history. One hour of such a catastrophe would destroy the 
creations of a quarter of a century, and expose the homes of nearly 
two hundred thousand souls to every conceivable form of desecration." 

But the men of Chicago not only talked, they acted. They went 
to the jiolls and voted for the Union; 'and so told the world what 
honest Illinois thought of treason. 

More arrests were made, more arms taken, but the great blow was 
struck and the great work over. Its head gone, the conspiracy was 
dead, and it only remained to lay out its lifeless trunk for the burial. 
Yet, even as it lay in death, men shuddered to look on the hideous 
thing out of which had gone so many devils. 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE EEBELLIOlSr 

IN 

MICIilGA]^. 



During the first two years of the war, Michigan sent over 40,000 
troops to the fiekl ; and to the List, answered promj^tly all calls. Like 
her sister states of the great Northwest she engaged earnestly in the 
contest, and struck manj'' heavy blows in defense of the national life. 
In the armies of the East and West alike, her sons have made an 
honorable record. 

The venerable Lewis Cass, the most eminent citizen known to her 
history, at the outbreak of the war, thus spoke at a meeting of the 
people of Detroit. 

Fellow Citizens : — I am sorry you have not selected a chairman to preside 
over your assemblage more accustomed to such a task and more competent to fill 
it than I am. I5ut while feeling my incompetency I am encouraged by the hope 
that I shall find in your kind regard an excuse for any errors 1 may commit— be- 
lieving it is my duty, while 1 can do but little, to do all 1 can to manifest the deep 
interest 1 feelin the restoration to peace and good order and submission to the 
law of every portion of this glorious republic. 

I can not take this seat without contrastins the situation in which I now find 
myself with that in which I was placed on this very spot almost fifty years ago. 

Tlien in the days of our weakness we were subjected to dishonorable capitula- 
tion, brougiit about by the imbecility of the leader, while now in the days of our 
strength, neither treason nor weakness can permanently affect the holy cause to 
which all hands and hearts are pledged. 

Then our contest was legitimate war, waged with a foreign foe. our war to-day 
is a domestic one, commenced by and bringing in its train acts which no right 
feeling man can contemplate without most painful regret. Bat a few short months 
since we were the first and happiest nation on the face of the globe. Jn the midst 
of this prosperitv, without a sinsxie foe to assail ns, without a single injury at 
home, caused by'the government to aQect us, this glorious union acquired by the 
blood and sacrifices of our fathers, has been disowned and rejected by a portion 
of the states composing it. Union, which has given us more blessings than any 
previous government ever conferred upon man. 

Here, thank God, its ensign floats proudly and safely, and no American can see 
its folds spread out to the breese, without feeling a thrill of pride at his heart, 
and without recallin5 the splendid deeds it has witnessed in many a contest, from 
the day of Bunker Hill to our time. And that flag your worthy mayor has by 
the direction of the municipal authority hung out upon the dome above us. ine 

10 155 



256 TIMES OF THE REBELLION. 

loyal American people can defend it, and the deafening cheers which meet us to- 
day are a sure pledge that they will defend it. A stern determination to do so, is 
evinced by the preparations and patriotic devotion vrhich are witnessed around 
us, and in the echoes which are brought here by every wind that blows. 

You need no one to tell you what are the dangers of your country, nor what 
are your duties to meet and avert them. There is but one path for every true 
man to travel, and that is board and plain. It will conduct us, not indeed with- 
out trials and sufferings, to peace and the restoration of the union. He who is 
not for his country is against her. There is no neutral position to he occupied. 
It is the duty of all to zealously support the government in its efforts to bring this 
unhappy civil war to a speedy and satisfactory conclusion, by the restoration, in 
its integrity, of that great charter of freedom bequeathed to us by Washington 
and his compatriots. His ashes, I humbly trust, will ever continue to repose in 
the lowly tomb at Mount Vernon, and in the United States of American which he 
loved so well, and did so much to found and build up. Manifest your regard for 
his memory by following, each with the compass of his power, his noble example, 
and restore his work as he left it, by devoting heart, mind and deed to the cause. 

Michigan furnished her share of valuable officers. Shekidan, whose 
name has become a household woi-d, before he commanded armies, 
was assigned to the command of the 2d regiment of cavalry raised by 
this state. The very first man in Michigan to volunteer for the union 
was Major General Alpheus S. Williams, who at one period for several 
years was editor of the Detroit Daily Advertiser. He was born in Con- 
necticut, graduated at Yale, and had been lieutenant colonel of the 
1st Michigan volunteers in the Michigan war. The governor, ac- 
cepted his services, and he organized the first four regiments tluil 
Michigan sent into the field to suppress the rebellion 

In October, 1861, he was placed in command of a brigade under Banks, on the 
■upper Potomac. At the first battle of Winchester he commanded Banks division, 
and then led the advance in the pursuit of Stonewall Jackson, up the valley. 
Throughout the retreat of Banks, in May, 1862, from Winchester, before the over- 
whelming forces of Jackson, " Williams, with his splendid troops, covered the 
rear, and was known through the command as 'Banks' right hand.' " Advancing 
.again into the valley, his veteran division, the succeeding August, sustained the 
brunt of the shock of his old opponent, Jackson, but at the terrible cost of a loss 
of a third of his old brigade. He gained additional luster as a tactician while in 
command of Pope's rear, in his retreat down the Kappahannock. Succeeding to 
the command of Banks' corps, he led them with success at Antietam. On the dis- 
astrous field of Chancellorsville, when the 11th corps Avas routed and flying, his 
corps, the 12tli, filled the gap, nnd stayed the bloody onset. He again, on the his- 
toric field of Gettysburg, commanded his corps on the right wing, against which 
'the enemy dashed in vain as against a rock. The 11th and 12th corps were after 
this consolidated into the 20th corps, under Hooker in Sherman's Atlanta cain- 
ipaign, in which Williams commanded the 1st division. On the retirement of 
Hooker he was temporarily in command of the 20th corps, and led one of its di- 
visions through those wonderful campaigns of Sherman, that will live as long as 
war has its history and its romance. "Old Alph," as his soldiers affectionately 
called him, has an iron constitution, immense good humor and a kind dip.position. 

Major General O. B. Wilcox, who obtained deserved distinction, was 
.the first colonel of the 1st Michigan regiment of infantry. His ca- 
reer has thus been sketched : 

He was the real captor of Alexandria when Ellsworth fell, which he accom- 
plished with his regiment, a section of Sherman's battery and Stoneman's company 
of cavalry. He then took prisoners Ball's company of Virginia cavalry, which 
was the first capture of rebels in the war. Three days before the battle of Bull 
.Run, he took the first colors in the east; this was from an Alabama regiment, at 



IN MICHIGAN. 157 

Fairftix station. At Bull Run, he commanded a brigade of Heintzelman's division, 
recaptured Riekett's guns and fell wounded into the hands of the rehels, 300 yards 
in advance of that battery. After thirteen months' imprisonment, he succeeded 
Stevens in the command of the 1st division, 9t,h corps, which lie handled skillfully at 
South ^lountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. At Knosville, he cominanded 
the left wing, and made a masterly retreat from Bull's Gap to Cumberland («ap, 
in presence of a superior force, lie was breveted major general for distinguished 
services in Grant's Virginia campaigns. 

Ill all the artillery service of tbc union armies there was not a sin- 
gle battery so distinguished as the 1st Michigan, generally known as 
LooMis' Battery. In West Virginia, Kentuck)-, Tennessee, Alabama 
and Georgia, it rendered most efficient service, and when lost was lost 
with honor. We chronicle a few of its many deeds — tirst at Murfrees- 
boro'. A correspondent from there thus speaks of Loomis battery fight : 

Colonel 0. O. Loomis— he was a captain at Perryville, and won his eagle there — 
is the envy of all artillerists. He is not only the quickest among them, but the 
most lucky of artillerists. On Friday morning the calm was broken by an attack 
being made upon his artillery, in Rousseau's division, in which Loomis commands 
four batteries. They drove in our pickets with a small force of infantry, and 
planted two batteries on either side of the Murfreesboro' road, and opened bri.^kly 
upon liousseau's camp. Loomis immediately ordered out Captain Stone's IstKen- 
tucky and his own famous 1st Michigan battery and replied to them. The.cannonad- 
ing for a few moments was terrific. From my position to the right, and out of danger, 
1 could very plainly see the rebel guns, and beyond them as distinctly the town of 
Murfreesboro', and a redoubt about a mile this side. The whole rebel line fiew to 
arms at this tremendous cannonading, as did our own, and the men felt that another 
terrible drama M-as about to be enacted. But the infantry were restrained, and the 
artillery left to do its work. Gen. liousseau, who knew the stufl' of which Loomis 
was composed, sent him word not to let them go away unharmed. Loomis prom- 
ised to obey, and kept his word. After a quarter of an hour's work five pieces of 
a brass cun battery were di.smounted, and the battery almost destroyed. The re- 
maininii gun limbered up and disappeared. The second battery was receiv- 
int; adiuonitions to leave, which they took in good part and disappeared to the 
ri'''ht, leaving the road, alons which our shots fell thick and fast, in utter disgust. 
I can not say what the rebels lost here in killed and wounded, but can speak 
positively as" to the loss of five suns. Our own loss in killed was reported to me 
at twenty-three, and one hundred and twenty-seven wounded. ^Vhon the Uar 
Department comes to sum up its heroes and the honors to be conferred, let it not 
if heroes overbalance the honors, blot out the name of that admirable soldier and 
unflinching patriot who bears the name of Loomis. 

Loomis was with Mitchell in Ahibama, and took part in the capture 
of Bridgeport : 

As the two pieces of Loomis' came up the hill, they-he Bays-instinctiyely 
turned nose on the feasting crowd, and demanded to be let loose. 1 he wh., e line 
halted as thev saw the enemy before them, and each '"^".d--^"'." ^^^Vo,?!! rw.rd 
shook himsel'f^a verv natural movement, 1 assure you ^f 7'V\'*r ^^1 e ?he 
on the summit of ti.e hill, and within ten or twenty feet of ''"^ ^•^''^ ^^e 
guards. In an instant their shot guns were leveled at his breast bu when 
he drew his revolver the two rebels fled toward the ca.np to gn-e /^^^ ^l'^-""^ ^"] 
Loomis had swifter messengers than the guards, -"^^l'? /j^^^f ^I;"^ J,f^^^^^^^^^ 
of their danger long before the latter messengers reached }^'^,''\"'^^;^^l^^l 
with the crv of al-i?m uttered bv the guards, the " bull dogs spoke, and the can 
Titter ndJidl ?d ™n the midst of them, scattering death --g them and crea^ 
ins a consternation that was comical to behold Ihey grabbled their J^k^^^^^^ 
and ran in everv direction, some even coming in the ^'r^^^ton of the lint of b^^^^^^ 
which we had formed. A few attempted to '*^Pi^ ^^""^ ^'^^ ^""'ll'^]'^^^^^^^ 
when away they went after the main body, which had fled to the bridge for safety. 



158 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



The order was now given, and away we went down the hill for a charge, and with 
a yell. I concluded to keep myself a leetle in the rear, and I saw the grand charge 
through the field, and into the very breastworks of the enemy. But the enemy 
had gone, and had too fine a start ever to be caught, except by Looniis, who, find- 
ing they had gotten beyond the range of cannister, tried them with shell. This 
only accelerated their speed, and they hardly stopped to fire the bridge effectu- 
ally. They left the portion of the bridge west of the island untouched, but fired 
that part beyond. General Mitchell sent men to the island and saved tlie most of 
it. Loomis continued to pour in his shell, and the enemy to put in their best 
licks. A locomotive and train disappeared in the distance, with a toot, toot, toot, 
excessively unpleasant to hear when a man feels he's too late for the train, and 
no doubt so felt by the rebels, the aggravation being increased by the knowledge 
that they had done their best running to catch it. 

]So sooner had the enemy disappeared on the further shore than Loomis ran his 
pieces into the valley, and across it into the rebel breastworks. He placed them 
in position and waited the appearance of the advance. He had not long to wait 
Down the road at double quick came infantry and cavalry — the latter in splended 
style, and looking very imposing. They had heard the firing, and had come down 
to engage in it. But when the men in the intrenchments opened upon them, they 
were more astonished than the reserve had been. An officer or two ran forward 
and cried out not to fire on our own men, but they quickly saw their mistake when 
Loomis let them have another round of cannister, and the infantry a round of 
musketry. Away they went belter skelter, and our men after them. The battle 
had lasted twenty minutes, perhaps, not more. 

The story of the loss of these guns is a sad but glorious one. It is 
thus told by a correspondent writing from Chickamauga : 

I rode for a considerable portion of the march at the head of the renowned 1st 
Michigan battery, engaged in low conversation with the manly and intelligent 
ofiicer who commander it. Lieutenant Van Felt. He seemed more than usually 
confident and cheerful, little anticipating, poor fellow! the fate which awaited 
him on the morrow. 

" Do you think," said he to me, " that we shall engage the enemy?" 

"If we can avoid it," T replied ; " I feel pretty sure we will not. " 

" Why then this movement?" he asked. 

"DoulDtless," said 1, " to prevent the enemy from turning our left flank, which 
they have all day been threatening to do." 

He looked at me earnestly. "Then you believe they are endeavoring to bring 
on a battle ?" 

"1 certainly believe they are," I answered. 

" Do you know anythine; of their sti-ength ?" he next inquired. 

"Not certainly," 1 replied; " but in addition to Bragg's old army, Longstreefc's 
corps from Virginia, and at least twenty thousand men from Johnston's army are 
in front of us." 

"No matter," said he, " we shall beat them. Men fighting in a cause like ours 
must conquer in the end." 

Just then General Baird came riding by with some members of his excellent 
staff. I recognized them by the light of one of the fires. 

"General," said I, "shall we go to Chattanooga to-night?" 

"No," lie replied. " We shall go a mile or two further, take position upon the 
left, and await the enemy." 

"Then," said I, turning to Van Pelt, "a battle to-morrow is inevitable." 

" Very well," he remarked, " we shall all have an opportunity to show again 
our devotion to ovr countrij.^' 

At last the weary march came to an end, the artillery was wheeled into posi- 
tion, and the marching columns facing to the right, stood in order of battle, look- 
ing toward the east. 

During the fight, the battery was attached to Scribner's brigade, who, when sur- 
rounded, had succeeded in infusing into them his own magnanimous and gallanJ 



IN MICHIGAN. 



159 



spirit. _ Gathering together their broken ranks, under the infernal fire which 
every instant mowed them down, and following their heroic leader, they charged 
the dense legions surrounding them, and like a whirlwind in a forest, tore their 
way through. 

But, alas ! the gnns of the immortal 1st Michigan battery were left behind — 
those black, stern-looking rifled cannon, each one of whom 1 had come to regard 
with a feeling of almost reverential awe, because upon a dozen battlefields I had 
seen them flinging destruction into the ranks of traitors, and never knew them 
once turned against a legion of my country's enemies which they did not scatter 
like leaves before the blast. Even in the opinion of the rebels themselves, Loomis 
had made these guns invincible. They were commanded now by a young man 
who, possessing naturally the noblest qualities, had thoroughly learned the lessons 
of his teacher, and promised to prove a most worthy successor, even to Loomis 
himself — Lieutenant Van Pelt. Van Pelt loved his pieces with the same unself- 
ish devotion which he manifested for his wife. In the desperate conflict which 
broke around Scribner's brigade he managed the battery with much dexterity 
and coolness, and for some moments rocked the very trees over the heads of the 
rebels by the fiery blasts from his guns. But his horses were shot down. Many 
of his artillerist were killed or wounded. The infanti-y supporting him had been 
compelled to turn and cut their way through the enemy, and a horde of traitors 
rushed up to the muzzles of the now harmless pieces. Van Pelt, almost alone, 
stationed himself in front of them and drew his sword. "Scoundrels," said he, 
" dare not to touch these guns!" The miserable barbarians, unable to appreciate 
true heroism, brutally murdered him were he stood. The history of the war, fur- 
nishes not an incident more touching or more sublime than the death of Lieu- 
tenant Van Pelt. All the guns of the battery, save one, fell into the enemy's 
hands. 

One of the members of this battery, Henry D. Norrington, early in 
the war, volunteered on a mission of great peril. The following are 
its incidents : 

After the battle of Carnifex Ferry, in West Virginia, had been fought, the rebels 
cut off all communication between the Federal camp at Elkwater, and that on 
the summit of Cheat Mountain, by seizing and holding the only road that connected 

them. . . i. IT 1 J 

It was at once apparent that the communication must be ^re-established, 
several trustv scouts were sent out, one after another, to Colonel Kimball, on the 
mountain top, from General Reynolds' camp at Elkwater. But such was the un- 
tiring- vio-ilance of the enemv, that each one in turn was shot ere reaching his 
destination. The danger to^the Elkwater camp was imminent, and a volunteer 
was asked for to open up a correspondence with Colonel Kimball. A young man 
of great courage, immediately started with high hopes of success; but he, too, 
fell, and was never heard of again. ..„ , -i i. i- *.i 

The commanding general, then stating fairly and fully the penis attending the 
task, asked for another volunteer. The command, which had been drawn up for 
the purpose of hearing the proposal, remained immovable, and not a soldiej stirred 
1..1. „ '^ ,-1^ T\..,.:„™ iUn cilnn/iQ flint roicrnpn tnp.e.t were 



from his place for several minutes. Daring the silence that reigned f^^es were 
turned continually up and down the line, to see ir there was any «»« bold enough 
to undertake the task. These few minutes seemed an age to '^^'^^.'T «ne ^"^,";« 
general with disappointment marked on his features, was turning away, when 
frivateH^nryD ^Norrington, of Loomis's Michigan battery, stepped from his 
rank and off"ered to go upon the perilous errand. , , , , 

He ^^xl humediately o -dered to report himself at headquar ers, where, receiv- 
ing 1 iod"s an Tnstruetions, and dispatches to ColoneHvimbal I he started for 
his desti^atTon With the most admirable tact and caution, our hero succeeded 
in eludno the firs picket-lino of the rebels, after passing which, he tmveled 
ZaXlhcMe disJnce l,eyoud,crarolmg on Ms ^--^'fiX and" Sy to 
Rurnrisp and failure he had his dispatches rolled up in his mouth, and le-xay lo 
SZ In tJ^i. manner he reached Colonel Kimball's camp, ou the top of 



IQQ TIMES OF THE BEBELLIOX 

Cheat Mcraatain. and safelj delivered his dispatches in the hands of that com- 
mander. 

And novr he had completed hot half '' ' ' ' • Ven, for, 

to cvEcp'ete it all, it wa* necessary t h from 

C ' '-'".' " ■ " " lis. i.- "rrprise 

■. Kimbal. - i^ with 

CJ----.. :rn. D >■:. n. 

He set z in the - he did 

^--■-- • . . -nj e" --. ... wa3 hia 

:.r in dor ri lew miles 
^.■nev. he c he had soc- 
cer Ti -rer: but e jhi* passed 
t - _ - i' -rr.- i _ . to a stake, 

.aax .Sorrington'g hope 

The next instant, oar hero wag crawiins iike a panther toward the animal, in- 

iPT-V.^z :o capture him. ar:i :!:-:= -rFure his own escape, provided the owner or 

- were not too Comin^: within reach of the steed, which 

T i^-i-i]"?-! . th" - - T^-!*^i ar^cnd him to see if the danger 

- f any foe, he sprang to the 

nnd the next moment was 

Ere he wa= men w! i been close at hand, 

-^r.t a Toiley of rifle balls after 
near, did him no iniurv. He 

: "■_'-'•'- on 

.-...--.- :....,;„. r ' ,-,oi Kim- 

:o General K - praise 

- - .^- w . - reward 

i? moanted 
: _ _ ..-^olver. from 

Captain i»omi5 a r jeneral a compli- 

i^r't^rv r ;:::e in : : at dress parade, 

r 7- :. Five men bad been jdiie<i in attempting 

_-;- - -he'i to the discomfit are of the rebeli. 

The women of Michigan have fomished some remarkable examples 
of female heroism. 

Miss Anna Etheridge was bom in Detroit, ifichigan. and is now twenty-three 

years of age Her father was once a man of wealth, and her early youth waspassed 

in thf: l-^T* "f loT^ry vn'.h. no wish ongratified, and no want nnc-ared f>jr. But mis- 

-way bis property, and. broken in fortune and depressed 

Minnesota, where he died, leaving our heroine, at the 

rative poverty and want. On the breaking out of 

- her friends in this city. 

n ensa^ed in raising the 2d Michigan volnnteera, 

females volunteered to acc<">mpany the regiment as 

r or been : ^ but she has accom- 

•ines. an- her determination to 

; service, .^..-r ..:.•> for her use a horse, 

.- etc At the commencement of a battle 

' ■ ■ -'-- "'■ ' "^ '"-''' '-'- '■''■:' ''-.ps to 

-. work 

— - '- -■ ■ • ' -he 

.'1 which the regiment has been e: v 

- - am's Ford, preceding the first b- . .. . ..11 



Df MICHIGAN. 151 

Ran. inclading the battles of the Peninsola, and terminating with ihe tartle of 
Fredericksburg. ° 

General Berrv, the present commander of the brisade to wn" •"- --- rezimcat 
is attached, and who bighij disun^uiiihed himself for braverv rv in all 

these fiiiht*, declares that she has been under as ho: a fire of . as him- 
self On one occasion a s-jldier was torn to pieces by a sheii whiie >tie was in 
the act 6f bindinsi up his wounds prerioosly received, and on manr o;-i;-ft-i' 'iis her 
dress has been pierced by bullets and fragments of shell yet she has never iinehed 
wad never been wounded. Her regiment belongs to the bri2a«ie commandei br 
the lamented General Kearney till his death, and in consideration of her daunt- 
less couratre and invaluable services in saving the lives of iiis men. General Kear- 
ney comujis?i..ned her as a re^mental sergeanL When not ivctively engaged 
on the battie 5rld or in the hospital, she sai>erintends the cooking a* the head- 
quarters of the brijade. When the brigade moves, she mounts her horse and 
marches with the ambulances and 5nri:e<:ins, administering to the wants of the sick 

and wounded, and at the * =he wraps herself in her - -* - -^ =; -^ 

upon the jr -irii with all : >1 of a true stjidier. 

Anna is ab' ut five fee; i ..-t .„.aes in hiirht. f^-' -'■-- 
browned by esoiisurei, brown hair, vigorous con- 

lookin;:. Her ire-- -n ent--'T ''*■'> battle, is --> - . . _._ _i 

to be I rri u; v r. - - Here modest, quiet 

and re:;riL_'. ^ii-a i.-.r _:.: - nduci are . . " : yet on the 

battle-neld she seems to be as one possessed and animated witn a desire to be 
effective in savin-i the lives of the wounde<i soidiers X: harsh wrri was ever 
known to be uttered by her, and she is held in i. ' and ^ 

teem by the s Ijiers, as an angel of mercy. She i? /^,t ^^^ 

ade, everv man of which would submit to almost any s*criu,jc m ii^r z^z^a^.!. >ttie 
takes the' deepest interest in the result of this cc-nte^t eagerly reading all the 
papers to which she can obtain access, and keepinj - y posted as to the 

progress of the war. She says she feels as if she s: in the world, as it 

were, and desires t> do good. She knows that she :s tre :r- ' "-^ 

manv lives, and alleviarin? much suffering in her present p > it 

her dutv to continue ' - _- 

These fiot- can e - ted by testimony of the highest character, and they 

deserve to - ■ :" rih to ire ^v r.i to show that if Endand can boast of the achieve- 
ments 01 a Fi .rence Nijihtiniiale. we of America can present a still higher exam- 
ple of female heroism and exalted acts of humanity in the person of Anna 
Etherivige. 

Another of these St>artan-like women vras 3Ir5. L. L. Beming. who 
proved to bo a kind\-f irood Samaritan— Amazonian attache to the 
armv. The aecdand Herald said of this trulj excellent woman : 

She is the adopted --r^-- -^ -^- ^ - - ^r^ ^^^ -- -.-^ment in wr!:i her hus- 
band is oartain. Mr- - - esofher- 
the re-i:::ent cr- ~ -—--, ^ ^ciieer^^; ^ 
^^j, ,,,._■_ • w."»riii ner weight m soia in a^ t^'-'oc 
Jg^y^.;.X'-. " .. -kno^s howtoperfor^ She can ride 
her«ix'v'nV^'-V n h ---vkwitroat dismounting but once, she can marcn with 
Z WV ^i^em. ?hV i; as faini^iar with the mudc of shell and ball a. wun h^ 
own notes, and she is enthnsiastically devoted to the war. ^he wa- ^J 
before Corinth, was under fire repeate-ily. but never turned her t 
but once, when she was ordere-i to skedaddle, as one of our 
place-i ri^ht in the rear of her own tent, wnieh was sure to - 
the first f.re- Mr?^ Demin;: wore her unt: -^ tne cam. -.. -— - 
sack, canteen, and belt with revolvers. 

One of the iTieliiiran r^ments, wa:> c<.uii,v*sed - - -^ 

dianics- Amon? Uie Western troops were sev. . ; 

re-iment*. This element contributed greatly to «.« :.»..v«^ ^^ ^^ 



162 



TIMES OK THE REBELLION 



campaigns. Generally in the advance, laboring in the very front of 
danger, the calm heroism of these working men almost surpasses belief. 
A single incident illustrates this, which occurred in Sherman's Atlanta 
campaign. Two pioneers were chopping on opposite sides of the same 
tree. In the midst of a storm of whistling bullets, the measured ca- 
dence of their manly blows was beard above conflicting sounds. 
Suddenl}^ one of the two dropped dead at the foot of the tree, shot by 
a ball through the head.- His companion did not falter at his task 
one instant ; did not so much as lose a single stroke ; when a third 
man instantly stepped out from the ranks, took the ax from the hands 
of his dead comrade and filled his place. In this connection it gives 
us pleasure to present a picture of Western soldiers : and to none is it 
more aj^plicable than to " the boys " of Michigan. 

If there are men in the world gifted with the most thorough self-reliance, west- 
ern soldiers are the men. To fight in the grand anger of battle seems to me to re- 
quire less manly fortitude, after all, than to bear, without murmuring, the swarm 
of little troubles that vex camp and march. No matter where or when you halt 
them they are at once at home. They know precisely what to do first and they do 
it. I have seen them march into a strange region at dark, and almost as soon as 
fires would show well, they were twinkling all over the field, the Sibley cones rising 
like the work of enchantment everywhere, and the little dog tents lying snug to 
the ground, as if, like the mushrooms, they had grown there, and the aroma of 
coffee and tortured bacon, suggesting comforts, and the whole economy of life in 
canvas cities moving as steadily as if it had never intermitted. The movements 
of regiments, you know, are blind as fate. Nobody can tell to-night where he will 
be to-morrow; and yet, with the first glimmer of morning, the camp is astir, and 
preparations begin for staying there f(»rever: cozy little cabins of red cedar, neatly 
fitted are going up; here a boy is making a fire place, and quite artistically plas- 
tering it with the inevitable red earth; he has found a crane somewhere and 
swung up thereon a two legged dinner-pot; there a fellow is finishing out a chim- 
ney with brick from an old kiln of secession proclivities ; yonder a bower-house, 
closely woven, of evergreen is almost ready for the occupants; tables, stools, and 
bedsteads are tumbled together by the roughest of carpenters; the avenues, be- 
tween the tents are cleared and smoothed — "policed," in camp phrase — and little 
Beats with cedar awnings in front of the tents, give a cottage-look, while the in- 
terior, in a rude way, has a genuine home-like appearance. The bit of a looking- 
glass hangs against the cotton wall — a handkerchief of a carpet just before the 
" bunk " marks the stepping off place to the land of dreams — a violin-case is strung 
up on a convenient hook, flanked by a gorgeous picture of some hero of somewhere, 
mounted upon a horse, rampant and saltant, "and what a length of tail behind! " 

The business of living has fairly begun again. There is hardly an idle mo- 
ment, and save here and there a man brushing up his musket, getting that "damned 
spot" off his bayonet, burnishing his revolver, you would not suspect that these 
men had but one terrible errand. They are tailors, they are tinkers, they are 
writers; fencing, boxing, cooking, eating, drilling — those who say that camp life 
is a lazy life know little about it. And then there reconnoissances " on private ac- 
count;" every wood, ravine, hill, field, is explored; the productions, animal and 
vegetable, are inventoried, and one day renders them as thoroughly conversant 
with the region round about, as if they had been dwelling there a lifetime. Th^y 
have tasted water from every spring and well, estimated the corn to an acre, tried 
the watermelons, bagged the peaches, knocked down the persimmons, milked the 
cows, roasted the pigs, picked the chickens ; they know who lives here and there 
and yonder, the whereabouts of the native boys, the names of the native girls. If 
there is a curious cave, a queer tree, a strange rock anywhere about, they know 
it. You can see thein with chisel, hammer and haversack, tugging up the moun- 
tain or scrambling down the ravine in a geological passion that would have won 
the right hand of fellowship from Hugh ililler, and home they come loaded with 







CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS, BY MICHIGAN CAVALRYMEN. 



IN MICIifGAN. 1(35 

specimens that would enrich a cabinet. I have in my possession the most exqui- 
site fossil buds just ready to open; beautiful shells, rare minerals, collected by 
these rough and dashing naturalists. If you think the rank and hie have no taste 
and no love for the beautiful, it is time you remembered of what material they 
are made. Nothing will catch a soldier's eye quicker than a patch of velvet moss, 
or a fresh little flower, and many a letter leaves the camps enriched with faded 
souvenirs of these expeditions. I said that nothing will catch an old campaigner's 
eye quicker than a flower, but I was wrong; a dirty, ragged baby will. 1 have 
seen a thirteen dollar man expend a dollar for trinkets to hang about the dingy 
neck of an urchin, that at home, and three years ago, he would hardly have 
touched with a tongs. Do you say it is for the mother's sake ? You have only 
to see the bedraggled, coarse, lank, tobacco-chewing dam — is it wicked lor me to use 
that word in such a fashion? — to abandon that idea, like a foundling, to the ten- 
der mercies of the first door-step. 

But to come back to camp ; talk of perfumed cloud of incense, there is to me 
nothing sweeter than a clear, bright red cedar tire; the mountain air is fairly 
laden with the fragrance. Everything is red cedar, and a prairie man, as he sees 
the great camp fires, fed with hewn timbers of the precious wood, would about as 
Boon think of cutting up his grand piano — seven octave or so — into fuel for the 
kitchen stove. Writing of fuel, you should see the fences melt away anywhere 
within a mile of camp ; up goes the red cedar again, like a prophet, in a chariot 
of fire, and not enough left for a bow and arrow. 

The work of improvement goes briskly on ; a week has passed, and the boys 
seem settled in life. Just before tattoo, some night, down comes an order to march 
at five in the morning. A fine, drizzling rain has set in; a thick blanket of fog 
has been snudy tucked about the camp; the fires look large and red and cheer- 
ful ; the boys'are just ready " to turn in, " when down comes the order. Nothing 
is as you would tliink; no complaints, no murmuriugs, no watching the night out. 
They are not to be cheated out of their sleep— not they; it takes your green re- 
cruits to do that; every bundle of a blanket has a sleeping soldier in it; every 
knapsack has a drowsy head on it. At three the roll of a drum straggles through 
the floom : the camp is awake ; tents are struck, knapsacks packed, baggage wagons 
loaded mules untangled. Soldiers have notions, and among them is the destruc- 




Rome, too, as that was in the time of the lupine brothers— at least they eat. 
soldier can starve patiently, but when he has a chance he eats potently, iiua- 
dled around their "little fires, in the thick and turbid morning, the clink ot he 
bayonets betokens the coffee to come; the smutty kettles bubble with the Arabic 
decoction as black as the tents of the Sheik who threw dust on the beard of his 
father ■ unhappy Pork sizzles from ramrods, and the boys take breakfast. 

Some wL; S^proposed in Congress, you remember, the -'-/-t"^'- « ^ f«^ 
coffee in the army, and told the people that the soldiers would welcome the change ! 
A tolerably fair specimen of theoretical stay-a -home wisdom, and not ^orth a 
Sabbath day's journey of the Queen of Shelm to look at. ^^7^ ^^^^^f • ^\^J^"^ 
true agua vitce their solace and mainstay, ^yhen ^^^^^/j;! ""^ •^""tot/rtli 

great swallows^f heart and cofi-ee together. It is Rhine wine, the soul ot (.am 
brinus, " Switzer " and " Limberg" in one. ^^„. ._.^ „„-ch awav in good 



166 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



been passim:^ out of sijjht, leaving nothin"; beliind for all that life and lij;;ht but 
empty desolation. Will j'ou wonder much if 1 tell you that 1 have wati-iied such 
a vanishinii; with a pan^r of regret; that the trampled field looked dim to me, 
worn smooth and beautilul by tlie touch of those brave feet, whose owners have 
trod upon tliorns with sonn — feet, alas, how many — that shall never airain, in all 
this cominif; and ^oin^f world, make music up the old thresliolds ? And liow many 
such sites of perislied cities tliis war lias made ; how many bonds of good fellow- 
ship have been rent to be united no more. 

At home anywhere, I wrote, and I miijht well have added, and used to anything 
the t)oys are. 'You would wonder, I think, to see me lie down in tlie dusty road, 
under the full noon sun of Tennessee and Alabama, and fall asleep in a minute. 
I have passed hundreds of such sleepers. A dry spot is as pood as a mattress; 
tlie flap of a blanket quite a downy pillow. You would wonder, 1 think, to see a 
whole army corps, as 1 have, without a shred of a tent to bless theniselves with, 
lying anywhere and everywhere in an all night rain, and not a growl nor a grum- 
ble. 1 was curious to see whether the pluck and good nature were not washed 
out of them, and so I made my way out of the snug, dry quarters, I am ashamed 
to sav 1 occupied, at five in the morning, to see what water had done for them. 
Nothing! Each soaked blanket hatched out as jolly a fellow as you would wish 
to see — muddy, dripping, half foundered, forth they came, wringing themselves 
out as the went, witli the look of a troop of "wet-down" roosters in a fall rain- 
storm, plumage at half mast, but hearts trumps every time. If they swore — 
and some did — it was with a half laugh; the sleepy tires were stirred up; then 
came the — cofi'ee, and they were as good as new. " Blood is thicker than water." 
1 could never tire of telling you how like iron — wrought iron — men can get to be, 
and half the sympathy 1 had corked and labeled for the hardships of soldiers 
evaporated when 1 came to see how like rugged oaks they toughened into knots 
under them. True, there is another light to the picture. The regiment twelve 
hundred strong now stacks five hundred muskets. Bullets did not do it, as you 
would think, but just the terrible sifting process; the regiment is screened like grain; 
the sturdiest manhood alone remains. Writing of downy pillows, 1 noticed, on that 
rainy morning, that one of the boys did not hug mother earth quite as closely as 
the vest; his head was well up, and when he shook himself, and whisked off the 
blanket he had lain upon, I saw his pillow, and no duck ever dressed such plum- 
age; it was a little triangular piece of iron, the fragment of some bit of machin- 
ery, through which were thrust three iron rods some six inches in length. It was 
fii'st this queer tripod of a pillow, then a corner of a blanket, then a pouring rain, 
and then a good, hearty all night sleep. Never mind that feather the wrong 
way in your pillow; thank God for the one feather, pleasant dreams and good 
night! 

We do not know that any other state has furnished an instance like 
the following : 

Sergeant John Clem, 22d Michigan volunteer infantry, is the youngest soldier 
in our army. He is twelve years old, and small even for his age. He first at- 
tracted the notice of General Kosecrans at a review at Nashville, when he was 
acting as marker for his regiuient. The general, won by his youth and intelli- 
gence, invited him to call upon him, whenever they were in the same place. 
Rosecrans saw no more of Clem until his return to Cincinnati, when one day, 
coming to his rooms at the Burnet House, he found the boy awaiting him. He 
had seen service in the mean while. He had gone through the battle of Chicka- 
mauga, where he had three bullets through his hat. Here he killed a rebel colo- 
nel. The officer, mounted on horseback, encountered the young hero, and called out, 
" Slop you little Yankee devil ! " By way of answer, the boy halted and dropped 
his piece to "order;" thus throwing the colonel off his guard. In another mo- 
ment the piece was cocked, brrught to an aim, and fired, when the officer fell 
dead from his horse. For this achievement Clem was promoted to the rank of 
sergeant, and Rosecrans bestowed upon him the Roll of Honor. 

We have a similar anecdote of a Michigan drummer boy, connected 



IN MICUIGAN. 1Q7 

with the army of the Potomac under Burnside. Shortly after the 
battle of Fredericksburg he was one of the occupants of the platform 
ut a great union meeting in ISJ^ew York : 

He belonged to the 8th Michicran, and when one hundred men of that regiment 
volunteered to cross at Frederickburg, he wished to go, but was told he was too 
email He, however, hung on to the stern of the boat, and passed over in the 
■water. When over he killed a rebel, took his gun, and came back with the volun- 
teers. General Burnside complimented him for his bravery. Some friends had 
cfiven him a new drum, and he beat the tattoo for the audience, to their great 
delight. His name is Kobert Hendershot. 

Scarcely is there a limit to the anecdotes that could be given of the 
braveiy of Michigan troops in battle. One we adduce hei^e, the charge 
of the 4th Michigan, near Shepherdstown, Ya. : 

The division of General Morell was moved down to the brink of the river, and 
as the 4th Michigan, in the advance, was about to cross, a battery of six guns 
suddenly opened upon them from the top of the bluff commanding the ford. Of 
course a slight movement resembling a panic at first manifested itself, but the 
moment the order was given to cross the stream, ascend the hill and take the bat- 
tery, a shout went up which echoed and re-echoed through the gorge, and filled 
with consternation the men at the guns. The hill was gained in the face ofa 
deadly fire, the guns reached, the gunners shot or bayoneted, the entire battery in 
our possession almost in as short a time as I have taken to write an account of it. 
The charire of the 4th Michiiran was one of the bravest and most successful of the 
war. The Potomac at the ford is about four feet deep. The boys threw ofi" their 
coats and waded across in water up to their waists, and with many of them nearly 
up to their neck. The guns, with one exception, were all brought across the 
river. The one left on the other side was spiked, dismounted and rolled down 
the bluff. Two of the pieces formerly belonged to Griffin's battery, which was 
taken from us at the first battle of Bull Run; another was a Parrot and the 
others 12-pound brass howitzers, manufactered in England. The battery alto- 
gether is perhaps the most valuable taken by .McClellan since he had command 
of the army. It should be presented to the brave 4th Michigan as a reward for 
their achievement 

The letters of wounded soldiers and officers, from the battle-field, 
are among to most touching mementoes of the war. After one oi the 
battles of McClellan, in Maryland, a torn and soiled envelop .was 
picked up on the field with the following written upon it in pencd, 
which was ascertained to be from a Michigan officer, Captain Allen H. 
Zacharias, of Monroe : 

Dkau Parents, Brothers and Sisters :-T am wounded, mortally T think. The 
fight rages around me. 1 have done my duty-th.s is my ~ =^t'«"; J^^P^ ^ 
meet you all again. I left not the line until nearly all had fallen and the cobrs 
fTone 1 am crettin<r weak My arms free, but below my chest all s numb. Hie 
Semy is al^t me" [SLe otLr words were written, but the envelop was so torn 
that they could not be deciphered.] Allen 

Your son, 

One of the most .affecting of all the letters ^^»» th»*„^^*^;^l,^/ 
rolnnel Thornton Brodhead, commander of the 1st Michigan cavaiiy, 
?o'h;rw"rthe fatal battle-field before WasMngton, when Pope 
was defeated through the treachery of Fitz John Poiter . 



i\rY 

We 

Befor 



V D..1.B., wir. :-i «-rij, £/- ,r*ryr:hir;:in'be'^:t'i 

ZTiiet":t";.orr.'hari. -e'wly iUy be stated e.^ General - 



168 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



has been outwitted, and that is a traitor. Had they done their duty as I 

did mine, and had led as 1 led, the dear old flaji; had waved in triumph. 

I wrote to you yesterday morning. To-day is Sunday, and to-day 1 sink to the 
green couch of our final rest. 

1 have fought well, my darlinp:, and I was shot in the endeavor to rally our 
broken battalions. I could have escaped, but I would not till all hope was gone, 
and was shot — about the only one of our forces left on the field. Uur cause is 
just, and our generals, not the enemy's, have defeated us. In God's good time 
He will give us victory. 

And now, good-by, wife and children. Bring them up, I know you will, in the 
fear of God and love for tlie Saviour. But for you and the dear ones dependent, 
I should die happy. 1 know the blow will fall with crushing weight on you. 
Trust to him who gave manna in the wilderness. 

Dr. Nash is with me. It is now after midnight, and I have spent most of the 
night in sending messages to you. 

Two bullets have gone through my chest, and directly through the lungs. 1 
euSer but little now, but at first the pain was acute. I have won the soldier's 
name, and am ready to meet now, as I must, the soldier's ftite. 1 hope that from 
Heaven I may see the glorious old flag wave again over the undivided union I 
have loved so well. 

Farewell, wife and babes, and friends. We shall meet again. 

Your loving, Thorntox. 

This noble man, who thus died that his country might live, was the 
son of a New England clergyman, and born in New Hampshire, in 
1822. He graduated at the Harvard Law School, served in the Mexi- 
can war as an officer of the 15tli U. S. infantr}-, in which he Avas twice 
breveted for gallantry in battle. For many years he was a citizen of 
Detroit, and for a while postmaster of that city. Su.stained by love 
of God and country, his last letter to his dear ones at home, is another 
of the many glorious tokens of how cheerfully the Christian soldier 
can die. 

Gettysburg, the most terrible and bloody battle of the war; indeed 
the turning point of the rebellion, occurred in the year succeeding the 
writing of these heroic letters. This battle-field was consecrated by 
the blood of the sons of Michigan. The 24tli Michigan was one of 
the five western regiments that composed the famous Iron Brigade, 
who held the key point at Cemetery Hill, and so saved the army from 
defeat. 

Out of 496 men, this regiment lost 316", in killed and wounded. It lost all its 
field officers. Its Colonel, Morrow, was prostrated by a scalp wound and taken 
prisonci". Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Flanagan lost a leg. Major Edwin B. Wright, 
lost an eye. Deprived of its superior officers, the command devolved upon a 
captain, Albert M. Edwards. Several of the officers and men even when severely 
wounded, refused to leave the field. In a subsequent report, Col. Morrow stated 
in reference to the regiment, that in the desperate conflicts of the day, it became 
almost certain death to carry the flag. Privates Abel E. Peck, Charles Ballon, 
and August Earnest, color-bearers, were successively killed. Corporal Andrew 
Wagner afterward raised the standard, and was shot through the breast. Col. 
Morrow himseU, then took the colors in his hands, but yielded them at the earnest 
request ot Private Wm. Kelley, who said, " The Colonel of the "lAth Michigan 
shall never hear the colors while /«?« able to take them." Tlie flag floated again 
for a brief period in the front of the battle, but soon Private Kelley paid the pen- 
alty of his heroism with his life. Col. Morrow took the colors once more, when 
he too fell wounded and senseless. After the deadly strife at the barricade of 
rails, this cherished flag was found in the hands of a soldier of the regiment,. 



IN MICHIGAN iQg 

whose name is unknown, and who, although to all appearance, mortally wounded 
etui held it with a firm, unyielding grasp. ' 

In the tragedies of the rebellion Michigan soldiers bore their full 
share, as many a battle-field testifies. In the comicalities of the 
strife, they eclipsed those of any other State, for to them fell the grati- 
fication of capturing JeflFerson Davis, the runaway President of the 
collapsed Confederacy, while endeavoring to escape in the disguise of 
a superannuated old woman. This ludicrous affair took place just 
before daylight on the 10th of May, 18G5, near Irwinville, in South 
Georgia, about 70 miles from the Florida coast, for which the Davis 
party was making. Major-General Wilson had sent two detachments 
of horsemen in pursuit, one under Col. Pritchard, of the 4th Michigan 
cavalry, the other under Col. Harndon, of the 1st Wisconsin. The 
Michigan men first came to the tent in which was the Davis party, 
surrounded it, and demanded the surrender of the inmates. The two 
cavahy detachments arriving by diff'erent roads at this moment, got 
in conflict, each thinking the other rebels. Two were killed and six 
wounded before the error was discovered. Capt. Hudson of the 
Michigan troops, had placed a strong guard around the tent where 
Daviswas supposed to be, and when the firing commenced, thinking 
his dut}^ called him to the fight, he left the tent in charge of a cor- 
poral, with orders to let no one pass out. The details of what fol 
lowed, have been variously stated. But we give them as related by 
G-eneral Wilson, in a letter to a friend, written on the evening after 
the delivery of Davis into his hands: 

You Avill, doubtless, have soon my telegrams to the Secretary of War, beforo 
thij reaches vou, detailing the events of the capture. Two of my best regiments 
one from the first and the other from the second division, were on the trail 
together, and reached the rebel camp almost simultaneously. The fight which 
ensued was unfortunate, hut unavoidable in the uncertain moonlight. Both par- 
ties fully expected desperate resistance, and both had gone prepared. 

(Colonel Harndon, of the 1st Wisconsin, had only sixty men. Colonel Pritchard 
had one hundred and thirty. The story of Davis' ignoble attempt at flight is even 
more i^^noble than 1 told it. Mrs. Davis and her sister, Miss Howell, a ter having 
clothed him in the dress of the former, and put on his head a woman s head-d. us.'', 
started out, one holding each arm. and besou^d.t Col. Pritchard s men m most 
piteous terms, to let them take their "poor old mother out of the wny ot the 

''m?s. Davis said, " Oh, do let us pnss with our poor old "o^"'^;^'. ^^'"^ /« ^ ["'p'sh^ 
ened, and fears to be killed." One of Pritchard s men, f'^'^^^^J^^'f*^ 
Ires dent's boots below the skirts of the dres.., suspected at «";^«- V'"' ./J,^ PJ^^ 
old woman was, and replied, " Oh, no, you don't phiy tuat S^? "" ^^^^ J^.w '' 
don't look very much like they belonged to a woman. Come do^^n o d icllo^^. ^ 

It is rarely that two witnesses relate ^^f^^f^f^""^';!';'-^^^^^^ 
an uncommon witness, who. in '^^ . '^^^ads, relate t twee ex^^^^^^^^ 
alike. A staff officer of Davis' publishes this version of his captuie . 

At last he got information that his own ^J^^ti^iliTSr: J^hUdSn,^ 
the assaults of military marauders. ^ /•«. I^'-^"^^' ™ J^^'j^^f i,er own, about 
accompanied by her sister. Miss fXiV \'arV' ^"e ^;^ anxiou^ to go 

twenty or thirty miles from her h"^';^^"'; ' Pf^Jh^ felt equal to the task of pro- 
ber own way, and be no emban-assment ^o 1^'"". ^'^^'f 'j.'^^^;^i,„ pederals. Lt, 
tectingherself from reckless Con ederates and fel «^;« f '^^o^'^^' « ,^^d ^,„,,,ted 
no sooner did he ascertain that she was in d;^"ge'. t"^^ that she carried the rebel 
a scheme to seize all her trunks, ""^er the impiess.on tha she can ^^^^ ^^^ 
gold, than he resolved, at all hazards, to go to her rescue. 



170 TIMES OF THE REBELLION IN MICHIGAN. 

band's, a, fond father's infatuation. No remonstrance availed. He set out, and 
rode eighteen miles to meet the object of his love and solicitude. He met them, 
and thelirst to rebuke him for his excess of fondness was the anxious wife and 
mother. A tent or two Avas already pitched, and he, weary to exhaustion, went 
to sleep, intending to retrace his steps before morning. Had he not gone to as- 
sure himself of his wife's safety, and liad he not been excessively fatigued while 
there, Colonel Fritchard would be without the honor of capturing him, for nothing 
was easier .than his escape, as Breckinridge and Wood and the writer of this 
know, and by meeting no interruption themselves have proved. Their immunity 
might have been his. 

But Davis ran his risks and took the chances, fully conscious of imminent dan- 
ger, yet powerless, from pli^'sical weariness, to do all he designed doing against 
the danger. When the musketry firing was heard in the morning, at "dim gray 
dawn," it was supposed to he between the rebel marauders and Mrs. Davis' few 
camp defenders. Under this impression he hurriedly put on his boots and pre- 
pared to go out, for the purpose of interposing, saying 

" They will at least as yet respect me. ' 

As he got to the tent door, thus hastily equipped, and with this good intention 
of preventing an effusion of blood by an appeal in the name of a fading, but not 
wholly faded authority, he saw a few cavalry ride up the road and deploy in front 

" 11 a, Federals! " was his exclamatiom. 

" Then you are captured," cried Mrs. Davis, with emotion. 

In a moment she caught an idea — a woman's idea — and as quickly as women 
in an emergency execute their designs it was done. He slept in a wrapper — a 
loose one. It was yet around him. This she fastened ere he was aware of it, 
and then bidding him adieu, urged him to go to the spring, a short distance oflF, 
where his horses and arms were. Strange as it may seem, there was not even a 
pistol in the tent. Davis felt that his only course was to reach his horse and 
arms, and complied. As he was leaving the door, followed by a servant with a 
water-bucket, j\Iiss Howell flung a shawl over his head. There was no time to 
remove it without exposure and embarrassment, and as he had not far to go, he 
ran the chance exactly as it was devised for him. In these two articles con- 
sisted the woman's attire, of which so much nonsense has been spoken and writ- 
ten ; and, under these circumstances, and in this way, was Jefferson Davis go- 
ing forth to perfect his escape. Xo bonnet, no gown, no petticoats, no crinoline, 
no nothing of all these. And what there was happened to be excusable under 
ordinary circumstances, and perfectly natural as things were. 

But it was too late for any effort to reach his horses, and the confederate pres- 
ident was at last a prisoner in the hands of the United States. 

The staff officer does not surmount the unromantic fact, that "the 
Confederate President" Avas at last caught trying to escape in the 
clothes of a woman. That he had "no bonnet, no gown, no petti- 
coats, no crinoline," the peculiar friends of his excellency must apol- 
ogize for him under the trying circumstances of a very liasfy toilet! 

Poor man ! The charitably disposed will forgive him that his dis- 
guise was not more complete. But why he, a West Point graduate, 
"a born soldier" too, should leave his arms over night at a wayside 
spring, in the custody of his horse, is among the puzzling matters our 
veracious staff officer does not explain. 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE REBELLION 

WISCOJS'SIN. 



To the calls of the Government for troops, no state responded with 
greater alacrity than Wisconsin. She has sent to the field, since the com- 
mencement of the war, fortj-four regiments of infantry, four regiments 
and one company of cavalry, one regiment of heavy artiller}", thirteen 
batteries of light artillery, and one company of sharp-shooters, making 
an aggregate (exclusive of hundred day men), of seventy-five thousand 
one hundred and thirty -three men. To this large number, furnished 
by this young state, should be added three regiments of one hundred 
day men, who nobly responded to the call at a critical moment, when 
their services were much needed, and whose services were of so much 
importance to the government, as to call forth from the commander- 
in-chief the highest special commendation. 

Wisconsin stood firmly and unwaveringly by the flag of the union. 
The bravery of her troops was not excelled. The "Iron Brigade " 
Becured a distinguished place in the history of the war. East, west 
and south, upon many of the bloody fields of battle, Wisconsin's brave 
sons won for themselves an undying fame. Unflinchingly they fought 
for the union, and looked death in the face in a thousand dift'er- 
ent forms; without a murmur they fell, shattered and mangled upon 
the cold and gory field ; without a murmur they bore the privations 
incident to a soldier's life ; many alas ! lingered and died in hos- 
pitals. Many a fireside was made desolate; the orphan children, the 
widowed mothers, the mourning fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters 
of Wisconsin can be numbered by thousands. 

Early in the war the state suff'ered a great loss m the death of her 
excellent governor, Louis P. Harvey. He was born at East Haddam, 
Conn in 1820 ; in 1828, emigrated with his parents to Ohio, and was 
educated at the Western Eeserve college. He was accidentally 
drowned, April 19, 1862, at Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, while step- 
ping from one boat to another. He had gone there to carry, with his 
own hands, the means of relieving the soldiers of his state, wounded 

171 



172 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

at the battle of Shiloah. "We give an extract of a private letter, con- 
taining some particulars of his life and character : 

Governor Harvey had lived in Wisconsin about fifteen years — first engafred in 
teacliinii, tlien in mercantile pursuits. Six years ago he was chosen to represent 
his district in the senate, which office he held for two terms, lie was tlien chosen 
secretary of state; and in 1861 was nominated for governor by tlie repuhlicun 
convention, and also by the union convention. lie was elected ])y a good major- 
ity, and was inagurated the first Monday after January. During the newspaper 
quarrel that always precedes an election, 1 never saw a single ojiprolirioufl reflec- 
tion upon the conduct or character of Mr. llarvey, though 1 daily saw all tho 
leading democratic papers of the state. 

The duties of his office at such a time as this could not under any circumstances 
be light, and his were especially onerous : and it is said that he habitually worked 
till eleven and twelve o'clock at night, and was at it again at four or five in the 
morning. He was quite annoyed by a difficulty he had in getting the last regi- 
ment oS' — the 19th, an Irish regiment. Everything before had been done with such 
hearty goodwill and enthusiasm, that it was painful to see the last regiment, or 
part of it, influenced to mutiny. But the governoi', with the catholic priest, har- 
monized them in part, and they were sent on to i^t. Louis. 

Immediately upon receiving the news of the Pittsburg battle, he resolved to go 
to the aid of the wounded, lie sent dispatcher to the principal towns to collect 
hospital supplies, and forward to ins care. When his wife at first expressed a 
dislike to have him go, he said, " I expected to hear that from others, but 1 hoped 
to receive encouragement from you." 

He stopped on his w-ay to visit the Wisconsin soldiers in the hospital at Cairo, 
and spent three days with them without taking off his clothes. Then he proceeded 
to Pittsburg. In a letter he wrote back, and probably the last he every wrote, he 
said : " I thank God for the good impulse to come here. I have accomplished 
more than 1 could have expected." 

He was drowned on Saturday evening. The next day. Sabbath, a friend, meet- 
ing Governor Harvey's mother in church, said : " How /ta^j*/?// you always look I" 
"Why shouldn't I," she said, "when I have such good S07is?" 

Gov. Harvey was to the time of his death a member of the congregational church. 
His cordial, unostentatious manner made him many warm personal friends. 

The following shows how truly his death was lamented : 

Our good Governor Harvey is dead. Our brave, good governor, whom every 
body loved, and over whose untimely fate all good hearts most sincerely mourn. 

It is only an hour since the sad tidings of his death came to us across the wires 
in this city of Madison, the capital of Wisconsin. And the news has put all the 
people into mourning. Sincerer grief, more real and earnest sorrow I never saw 
exhibited. All persons, belonging to all political parties without any distinction, 
feel the great calamity as if it were personal ; as if some dear, and unspeakably 
beloved friend had been snatched suddenly from their families and homes. 

On the streets 1 met with rude, hard men, who, perhaps, had never wept before 
in their lives, and they could not speak to me without tears gushing out of their 
eyes, and voices half choked with bitter sobs. So sudden was the terrible blow, 
BO unlooked for, so impossible, nearly, to be realized, that men, women, and little 
children are profoundly affected by it, not knowing what to make of it, feeling 
only that, if it is so, our public loss is great indeed ; hoping against hope that the 
dreadful liiihtning Avords may be yet proven untrue by more faithful dispatches. 

But alns ! there is no hope. All is over with our noble governor in this world. 
Those ugly, treacherous waters of the Tennessee, swallowed up all his life, and 
have left us all in such grief that no words of mine could depict it. 

It was only yesterday that the big-hearted governor, hearing of our terrible dis- 
asters at Pittsburg Landing — or, as history is likely to record it, our disasters at the 
battle of Corinth — issued his messages to every city in the state, calling upon the 
inhabitants to contribute all and every thing they could lay their hands on in the 
shape of linen, etc., and forward the same to him by the very next trains, that he 



IN WISCONSIN. 



175 



might himself carry those stores to our poor, wounded soldiers. Alas ' poor gentle- 
man ! He little thought that while engaged on this sreat-hearted errand ofmercy he 
should fall a victim to the veriest accident which^ever struck a brave man down 

Stepping from one boat to another on the Tennessee river, his foot fell short 
and down he went into the rapid waters, never more to rise a^ain ! ' 

While I write, the funeral cannon are booming over the city, and the uncon- 
acious, unsympathizing four lakes which encircle it, but not over unsympathizing 
hearts ! Believe me, that few things could have befallen us which would have 
afflicted all classes so deeply. The proof is externally shown in the closing of the 
stores, in their decoration with crapes and the garments of death, in the flags 
banging half-mast high from the capitol and the'public buildings, in the tolling 
of all the bells in the churches, in the mournful grasps of men in the streets in 
the white lips which announce to every incomer from the country the sad tidintrs, 
the appalling tidings, that our good governor, who left us so lately with such be- 
nevolence and mercy, and charity in his heart and hand, would never, never 
more return to us. 

The governor's lady was at the station soliciting help for the poor wounded sol- 
diers at the very moment that the station master was reading the telegraphic 
message which announced her husband's death. She heard it, all too soon, and 
fainted on the street. Her idol, whom she loved so dearly, was broken — broken, 
and no help ! May God help her I 

All over this state, all over the United States, this man's fate will be lamented 
and sorrowed over. He was only elected in January last, and no man ever began 
a public career with more brilliant promise, more encouraging auspices. And 
now all is over. The dark curtain has fallen, and the starry curtain has been up- 
lifted, and he has gone under it where all good men go — to God and the blessed 
majority of the angels. 

The " Iron Brigade op the "West " was composed of the 2d, 6th 
and 7th regiments, and was commanded by General Gibbon. 

The 2d regiment, which was identified with the army of the Potomac from 
its first organization, and which was the representative of Wisconsin at the first 
battle of Bull Run, was joined later in the season, by the 6th and 7th regiments. 
In the organization of the army by General McClellen, these regiments, together 
with the 19tli Indiana, were organized as a brigade, and assigned to the command 
of Brigadier General Gibbon, General King having been promoted to the com- 
mand of a division. Thenceforward their history is identical, and Wisconsin 
may well be proud of their record, which has procured for them the name of the 
" Iron Brigade of the West." 

The winter was spent in camp at Arlington, Va., preparing for the spring cam- 
paign. In the grand review of the 27th of March, the Winconsin troops, particu- 
larfy the 2d, were complimented for their soldierly appearance and thorough ac- 
quaintance with military drill. c-mt • n 

They participated in the advance on Richmond, under command of Major Gen- 
eral McDowell ; and subsequently under Major General Pope, acted as rear guard 
to the "Army of the Potomac," at the time it fell back on Washington. In the 
performance of this duty, "the 6th Wisconsin, the very last to retire, marched 
slowly and steadily to the rear, faced to the front again as they reached their new 
position, and saluted the approaching enemy with three rousing cheers, and a 
rattling volley. Every Wisconsin man who heard those cheers teifc his heart 
thrill Avith pi'ide for the gallant fellows who gave them." ^ , ^ . .,, , 

In the three days fi-ht of the 28th, 29th and 30th of August, at Gamesville and 
Bull Run, Gibbon's brigade suffered terribly. The 2d went into the fight with 
about 430 men, and lost in killed, wounde^d and mi^^A",^^^^^ i,*^^f,^ 
one 




wir 

dearly beloved by , . , . , ,- 

also killed in this battle.^ No truer or braver man has gone into action or 
a sacrifice to the wicked rebellion. The loss of the 6th, waa 17 killed and «! 
11 



176 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



wounded, the latter number including Colonel Cutler and Lieutenants Johnson 
and Tichenor ; and the 7th lost, in killed and wounded, 75 men, includins Captain 
Brayton, company " B," killed, and Captains Walker and Walthers, Lieutenants 
Bird and Hobart, wounded. A correspondent from the field says of their action 
in these battles : 

"Gibbon's brigade covered the rear, not leavins; the field till after nine o'clock 
at night, gatherintr up the stragglers as they marched, preventing confusion, and 
showing so steady a line that the enemy made no attempt to molest them." 

Afterward, in the short campaign in .Maryland, under command of Major Gen- 
eral McClellen, they nobly sustained their reputation at the battles of South 
Mountain and Antietam, which terminated the campaign by forcing the rebels to 
retire across the Potomac. In the battle of Sharpsburg, September 14th, Captain 
TV". W. Colwell, company " B," 2d regiment, of La Cross, was killed, while in 
command of the line of skirmishers. A fine officer, beloved by the whole regi- 
ment. His last words, as he was raised by the men of his command, were, 
"Advance the right, and press forward; don't give way." The 2nd went into 
the battle of Antietam, September 17, 150 strong, and came out with 59. Lieute- 
nant Sanford, company " I," was killed ; Lieutenant Colonel Allen, Captains Gib- 
son and Ely, and Lieutenants Jones and Hill wounded. 

This short and meagre sketch of this brigade, cannot be more appropriately 
terminated, than by recalling a special order issued by their commanding general, 
of which the following is a copy. 

Headquarters Gibbon's Brigade, near Sharpsburg, Md., ) 

October 7th, 1862. J 

Special Order No. — 

It is with great gratification that the brigadier-general commanding announces 
to the Wisconsin troops the following indorsement upon a letter to his excellency, 
the governor of Wisconsin. His greatest pride will always be to know that such 
encomiums from such a source are always merited. 

'' I beg to add to this indorsement the expression of my great admiration of the 
conduct of the three Wisconsin regiments, in General Gibbon s brigade. I have 
seen them under fire acting in a manner that reflects the greatest possible credit 
and honor upon themselves and their state. They are equal to the best troops in 
any army in the icorld. [Signed.] George B. McClellax." 

By command of Brigadier-General Gibbon*. 

The 20th regiment was organized under the call for seventy-five thousand. 
The men were recruited during the months of June and July, 1861. The organi- 
zation was completed and the regiment mustered into the L'nited States service in 
the beginning of August. The field-officers of this regiment were all promoted 
from the old regiments in the field. 

On the SOth of August they left Camp Randall under orders for St. Louis, 
•where they arrived on the 31st On the 6th of September they were ordered to 
Rolla, at which place they remained for ten days, when they marched to Spring- 
field on the 23d. They remained in the vicinity of Springfield until the beginning 
of December, when they were called upon to take part in the movement of Gen- 
eral Herron's forces, for the purpose of efi'ecting a junction with General Blunt, 
who was holding the enemy in check near Cane Hill. Ark., and thereby prevent 
the rebels from entering -Missouri. On Sunday, the 7th of December, they came 
in sight of the enemy at Prairie Grove, Ark., having marched one hundred miles 
in three days. Their conduct, during the terrible^ fight which followed, showed 
thev did not need their general's reminder, as he placed them in position, that 
" W iseonsin had never been disgraced by her sons in arms." They charged upon 
and took a rebel battery of six guns at the point of the bayonet, and being una- 
ble to take the guns from the field, disabled them, and slowly retired without confu- 
sion, under the fire ofjire rebel regiments. Captains John McDermott and John 
Weber, and Lieutenant Thomas Bintlifi", were killed in this fearful charge, and 
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Bertram, Captains O. Gillett and H. C. Strong, with Lieu- 
tenants Jackson, Bird. Butler, Blake, Ferguson, Boot and Miller wounded. The 
total loss was 49 killed, 148 wounded and 8 missing. 



IN WISCONSIN. 



177 



In an official order of General Herron to GoTernor Solomon, he said : " I con- 
gratulate you and the State on the glorious conduct of the 20th \\ isconsin in- 
fantry in the great battle of Prairie Grove." 

The famous Iron Brigade was later known in the War as Meredith's Brigade, and at 
Gettysburg, was composed of the 2d, 5th, and 7th Wisconsin, 19th Indiana, and 24th 
Michigan. The heroic bravery of this brigade of western men in the battles at this point, 
almost surpasses belief. They held the key of the position, inflicted terrible losses upon 
the enemy, and suffered terribly, some of these regiments losing three quarters of their men. 
On being asked by Gen. Doubleday to hold a certain point to the last extremity, he re- 
ported : " Full of the memory of past achievements, they replied cheerfully andproudly, 
" If we can't hold it, ichere xciU you find the men teho can ?' " 

The credit of saving Admiral Porter's fleet of gunboats and trans- 
ports from the peril of certain destruction on the rocks and among 
the rapids by the sudden fall of Eed Eiver, during Banks' unfortunate 
expedition, in the spring of 1864. was due to the skill and energy of 
a Wisconsin volunteer officer. JBLow the vessels were extricated is 
thus told by Admiral Porter: 

Lieutenant-Colonel Bailey, acting engineer of the 19th army corps, proposed a 
plan of building a series of dams across the rocks at the fails, and raising the 
water hiirh enough to let the vessels pass over. This proposition looked like 
madness, and thebest engineers ridiculed it. but Colonel Bailey was so sanguine 
of success that I requested General Banks to have it done, and he entered 
heartilv into the work. Provisions were short and forage was almost out. and the 
dam was promised to be finished in ten days, or the army would have to leave us. 
I was doubtful about the time, but had no doubt about the ultimate success, if 
time would only permit. General Banks placed at the disposal of Colonel Bailey 
all the force he" required, consisting of some three thousand men and two or three 
hundred wagons; all the neighboring steam-mills Avere torn down for material; 
two or three^regiments of Maine men were set to work felling trees, and on the 
second day after my arrival at Alexandria from Grand Ecore the work had fairly 
besan. Trees were falling with great rapidity; teams were moving in all direc- 
tions, bringing in l)rick and stone"; quarries were opened; flat-boats were built to 
brinf^ stones down from above: and every man seemed to be working with a vigor 
I have seldom seen equaled, while perhaps not one in fifty believed in the success 
of the undertakin^r These falls are about a mile in length, filled with rugged 
rocks, over which.'^at the present stage of water, it seemed to be impossible to 

make a channel. ^ , , ^ i. i r .lu 

The work was commenced by running out from the left bank ot the river a 
tree-dam. made of the bodies of Very large trees, brush, brick and stone, crcss-tied 
with other heavy timber, and strengthened in every way which ingenuity could 
devise. This was run out about three hundred feet into the river; four ^^rge coal- 
barc:es were then filled with brick and sunk at the end of it. From the r'ght bank 
of the river, cribs filled with stone were built out to meet the barges. All of 




will raKe too uiueu uuic lu <r....^v .■■-" . . „:„i,*- ^o-o' ^r,r-h 

Suffice it to sav, that the dam had nearly reached completion in ^^^^ <i^^;/«^J^ 
incr time, and the water had risen sufficiently on the upper ^11^ to a low the tort 



"TlTe LSn^-on C;=ded in .etti-g over the upper falls just i. tlMe-.he >va.er 



178 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



rapidly fivlling as slie was passin2; over. She then steered directly for the opening 
in the (lain, throunh which the water was rushing so furiously that it seemed aa 
if nothin;:; l)ut destruction awaited her. Thousands of beating hearts looked on, 
anxious for the result. The silence was so irreat, as the Lexington approached the 
dam, that a pin might almost be heard to fall. She entered the gap with a full 
head of steam on, pitched down the roaring torrent, made two or three spasmodic 
rolls, liung for a moment on the rocks below, was then swept into deep water by 
the current, and rounded to safely into the bank. Thirty thousand voices rose in 
one deafening cheer, and universal joy seemed to pervade the face of every man 
present. 'J'he Neosho followed next, all her hatches battened down, and every 
precaution taken against accident. She did not fare as well as the Lexington, her 
pilot having become frightened as he approached the abyss and stopped her engine, 
when 1 particularly ordered a full head of steam to be carried; the result was, 
that for a moment her hull disappeared from sight under the water. Every one 
thought r-lie was lost. She rose, however, swept along over the rocks witii the cur- 
rent, and fortunately escaped with only one hole in her bottom, which was stopped 
in tiie course of an hour. The llindman and Osage both came through l>eauti- 
fully, without touching a thing; and 1 thought if 1 was only fortunate enough to 
get my large vessels as well over the falls, my fleet once more would do good ser- 
vice in the Mississippi. The accident to the dam, instead of disheartening Col- 
onel Bailey, only induced him to renew his exertions after he had seen the success 
of getting four vessels through. 

The nohle-hearted soldiers, seeing their labor of the last eight days swept away 
in a moment, cheerfully went to work to repair the damages, being confident now 
that all the gunboats would finally be brought over. These men had been work- 
ing for eight days and nights up to their necks in water, in the broiling sun — cut- 
ting trees and wheeling f)ricks — and nothing but good humor prevailed among 
them. On the whole, it was very fortunate that the dam was carried away as the 
two barges that were swept away from the center swung around against some 
rocks on the left, and made a fine cushion for the vessels, and prevented them, as 
it afterwai-d appeared, from running on certain destruction. The force of the 
water and the current being too great to construct a continuous dam, at six hun- 
dred feet across the river, in so short a time, Colonel ixiiley determined to leavea 
gap of fifty-five feet in the dam and build a series of wing dams on the upper 
falls. This was accomplished in three days' time, and on tiie 11th inst, the 
Mound City, Carondolet, and Pittsburg came over the upper falls, a good deal of 
labor having been expended in hauling them through, the channel being very 
crooked, scarcely wide enough for them. Ne.xt day the Ozark, Louisville, Chilli- 
cothe, and two tugs also succeeded in passing the upper falls. Immediately after- 
ward the Mound City, Carondolet, and I'ittsburg started in succession to pass the 
dam, all their hatches battened down, and every precaution taken to prevent acci- 
dent. The passage of these vessels was a most beautiful sight, only to be realized 
when seen. 1'hey passed over without an accident, except the unshipping of one 
or two rudders. Tliis was witnessed by all the troops, and the vessels were heart- 
ily cheered as they passed over. Kext morning at ten o'clock, the Louisville, 
Chillicothe, Ozark, and two tugs passed over without any accident except the loss 
of a man, who was swept off the deck of one of the tugs. 

In Wisconsin, as in other states, there were some men of disloyal 
stamp. All through the west, particularly in the year 18Go, this feel- 
ing often exhibited itself in actual violence. The more usual mani- 
festations were in opposition to the drafts; and riots, from this source, 
were not uncommon. In some instances the enrolling officers, while 
proceeding to their duty, were ambushed and assassinated. Among 
the various Draft Eiots was quite a serious one in Ozaukee county, 
this state. The details we take from the Milwaukee papers. 

The resistance to the draft in Ozaukee county lias assumed quite a serious as- 
pect. ICarly on Monday morning, the day on which the draft was to take place, 



IN WISCONSIN. 



179 



processions came into the villa.ce of Ozaukee, and paraded the streets with ban- 
ners on which were inscribed "No Draft." At a preconcerted signal— the firing 
of two cannon — they marched to the courthouse, where they found the commis- 
sioner, Mr. Pors, had just_ commenced operations. The mob immediately attacked 
the courthouse, the commissioner tied, a part of the multitude pursuing him and 
assulting him with stones, brickbats and other missiles, until he took^efuge in 
the postoffice. The other part continued their assault on the courthouse, and des- 
troyed the papers and other machinery connected with the draft. 

The commissioner, having escaped from the hands of the rioters, they turned 
round and wreaked their vengeance upon several eminent citizens who had been 
counseling obedience to the laws. Among those assaulted and beaten were : 8. A. 
White, the euunty judge; L. Towsley, the district attorney; Judge Downs, regis- 
ter of deeds, and A. M. Blair, a leading lawyer. All these gentlemen were se- 
verely injured, and narrowly escaped with their lives. It is reported that Judge 
Downs had his leg broken. 

The rioters then commenced destroying private property. The houses of Mr. 
Pors, Mr. Loomis, Mr. Blair, Dr. Stillman and H. H. Hunt were sacked. The 
Ozaukee Stone Mills were leveled to the ground. They pursued the proprietor 
with the purpose of taking his life, but he managed to secrete himself, and after- 
ward escaped to this city. Previous to this they had obtained all the sheriff's 
papers in connection with the draft and destroyed them. 

The house of Commissioner Pors was also visited with particular vengeance. 
The furniture was smashed up and dumped out on the street. Jellies, jams, and 
preserves were poured over the Brussels carpets, and ladies' personal apparel torn 
into shreds. The mob continued in their high-handed career, and every person 
who was known to be a peaceful, law abiding and law-obeying citizen was threat- 
ened with violence to his person and property. In many cases these threats were 
carried out with fearful exactness. 

We are confident the leaders in this riot will be dealt with summarily. We 
believe the body of the people there have been led on by designing, factious men, 
who are never content unless engaged in some riotous proceeding, no matter what 
its nature, if it only be resistance to the lawful constituted authority. Pillage 
and plunder is the'ir great object, and they have led on ijinoeent, unsuspecting 
people to commit their develish deeds under the cry of "No Draft." We expect 
these modern Sanierres and Marats will be caged. . , , 

The provost-marshal-general of Uie state, W. D. Mclndoe, arrived here last 
night, and accompanied by eight companies of the 28th regiment, 600 strong, un- 
der command of Colonel Lewis, left for the scene of the disturbances in Ozaukee 

couutv. , 1 , .1 

The steamers Comet and Sunbeam had previously been chartered by the gover- 
nor, and at half past three o'clock Wednesday morning took their departure tor 

ht, 
one 



Port Washiniiton, with the provost-marshal-general and troops on board 

The propeller Kenosha, which arrived here at nine o clock luesdaynig 
broudit information that the mob at Ozaukee had three pieces of artillery, o 
of which was planted on the pier, and two on an elevation commanding the 
and that they threatened to prevent ^^ ^-^^^^^^^ ^[^TJlJp^'i^^, 



r^r ^^C l^^rw^iic^m Shaken by f ^^^ not ^ne of th^ 
expecting t,;.it anything wouhl be done by t e b.ate or Un d S^^^^^^^^ 




six houses havinsi been gutted 



promiscuous confusion. „ , ^ ^^^c. XT'P«^ sidp Colonel 

The troops marched to the rear of the town on he ^^^^ ^f ^ J- ^^^j 
I^wiH .immediately sent out scouts and extended his lines so as to co i :t 



j^gQ TIMES OP THE REBELLION 

mrround the town. Advancinf>; in this manner, the scouts soon came in contact 
ftith some of the rioters, who appeared Iri.irhtencd out of their wits, havintr be- 
come aware of the presence of a body of troops. Tliey rushed wildly from one 
side of tlie town to the other, endeavorin<]r to make their escape. But it was no 
jse. 'J'lie lines of the soldiers jiradually closed up, and the rioters were com- 
pletely ba<<;ged — caught amid the ruin and destruction they had made. In a very 
short time the soldiers had arrested about seventy, including several women, 
rhe prisoners were taken and confined in the courthouse under guard. We can 
jnly surmise what will be the fate of the men. 'J'he law provides Uiat all who 
.•esist or counsel resistance to the draft sliall be sentenced to serve in the ranks 
Df the army during the war. This is a very mild sentence, and will be carried 
)ut to the letter. 

Arrival of the Rioters in Milwaukee. — The steamer Sunbeam brought here 
;his morning 81 of the Ozaukee rioters, who were under the charge of a detach- 
ment irom the 2Sth, consisting of Captain White's company. The company 
marched through the city in the form of a hollow square, with the prisoners in 
the center. They looked decidedly crestfallen, and were probably deeply ashamed 
af the scrape they have got themselves into. They have been taken to Camp 
Washburn, aud will undoubtedly be put into the army without any further chance 
jf a draft. 

Resistance to the Draft in Washing^'on covnfj/. — Some of the citizens of Wash- 
ington county, catching'the contagion from Ozaukee county, disgraced themselves 
md the state nearly to the same extent on Tuesday as was the case in the latter 
30unty. 

On'Mohday there was no disturbance, and ^Ir. E. H. Gilson, the commissioner, 
completed, successfully, at West Bend, the draft for the towns of liarton, Farm- 
ington, Jackson, Kewaxcum and West Bend, employing a little girl to draw the 
ballots. Tuesday, in taking up the town of Trenton, a large crowd packed the 
court house, and as soon as it was completed began to shout. 

Sheriff Weimar and B. S. Weil endeavored to stem the tide, and counseled obe- 
dience to the laws. It was of no use, however, and Mr, Gilson, and the little girl, 
were advised to leave the building, which they did in haste. Gilson started for 
L. F. Frisby's office, but was overtaken by 15 or 20 excited men, one of whom 
caught him by the throat, another by the watch-guard, and another struck him a 
heavy blow in the right side with a stone of the size of a man's two fists. They 
told him to give up the rolls containing the list of men subject to draft, or they 
would murder him on the spot. 

He evaded their demands as well as he could, meanwhile falling back until he 
reached Mr. Frisby's ofBce, when he expostulated with them and appealed to them. 
Frisby and Weil did the same, and in the meantime Gilson managed to get into 
the office aud escaped from the back door, seizing upon his overcoat with his revolver 
in it as he escaped. A friend who had left a horse in the woods, about a half a 
mile distant, for him, informed him of what he had done, and he was not long in 
reaching the horse, which he mounted and made for Hartford at the top of his 
speed. When near that place he met five or six men on horseback, armed with 
clubs, going in the direction of West Bend. They called to him: 

"Are you running away from the draft?" 

" No, but they are drafting you right fast up at West Bend." 

"By G — d, we'll see about that," they replied, and put spurs to their horses. 

Mr. Gilson reached Hartford in time to get aboard the train, and at once came 
to Milwaukee. He at once left here for j\ladison, arriving there yesterday morn- 
ing. He is an old resident of Washington county, and has hitherto been one of 
the most influential men there. 

iMr. Gilson resides at Newburg, in that county. He expects to hear that his 
house has been destroyed, and his family insulted and outraged. These high- 
handed proceedings call for, and will, we doubt not, receive prompt and vigorous 
action on the part of the executive. 



IN WISCONSIN. jg^ 

Two Hundred Arrests made — Trouble in other Towns. — Ozaukee, Wednesday 
Evening. Editors Sentinel : — I have but a few minutes to write before the Sun- 
beam leaves Avith eighty-one " rebels " on board, bound for Fort Lafayette and a 
job of dirt digging. The vrork of repressing the outbreak goes bravely on. 
Nearly 200 arrests have been made, and a detachment of 200 soldiers have gone 
to Saukville to suppress a riot there. 

A squad of 20 soldiers were out this p. m., near Belgium, and were attacked by 
a body of men, outnumbering them six or seven to one. The boys stood their 
ground bravely, wounding one of the rebels severely, if not fatally, and capturing 
fifty-nine. Two others brought in nine before dark. 

Marshal ^Iclndoe is doing his wox'k well, and is ably assisted by the officers 
and men belonging to the department. They are sustained by the citizens, and 
it is more than probable that mob law vrill receive a lesson which will be remem- 
bered for some time. 

A six-pounder field piece was captured about nine o'clock this morning, and is 
now under guard at the court-house. The insurgents were well armed, but are 
no match for the volunteers who are sustaining the cause of law and order. 

The feeling of satisfaction is universal among the citizens and passengers. 

The town presents a sad appearance. Seven buildings are completely gutted. 
Four elegant pianos are among the property destroyed. 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE REBELLIOIT 

IN 

MINNESOTA. 



This new state of the far north was early in sending her regiments 
to the field. Her 1st regiment was in that opening battle of unfortu- 
nate issue, the battle of Manassas, in July, 1861. Her 2d regiment 
in the succeeding January, was at the battle of Mill Springs, Ky., 
where the union troops made the first bayonet charge of the war. 

Small in population, yet Minnesota contributed 20,000 soldiers to 
the union army. But the rebellion had been in operation a little more 
than a year, when her own soil became the theater of most horrible 
tragedies, the suppression of which, for a time, absorbed all her ener- 
gies. The times of the rebellion, therefore, was, in Minnesota, also, 
the times of the bloody scenes of savage barbarity known as 

THE SIOUX WAR. 

The most awful visitation of savage warfare that ever occurred to 
any community since the first settlement of this continent befel Mm- 
nisota, in August, 18G2, under the leadership of Little Crow, the Sioux 
chief. Sunday, the 7th, the massacre began by the murder of six per- 
sons, at Acton, Messier county. The next (Monday) morning, occur- 
red the horrible butchery at the lower Sioux agency. Some fugitives, 
at about 9 o'clock, a. m., carried the tidings to Fort Eidgley, twelve 
miles distant. Forty-six men, more than half of its little garrison, 
under Captain Marsh, started across the country to the scene ot blood. 
At the lower-agency ferry they fell into an ambush; when the cap- 
tain and a large part of his men, after a desperate battle, were slam. 
On Wednesday, the savages laid seige to the fort, which continued foi 

'X'ii were several pieces of artillery, and which, ^eing well-served^ 
the enemy were at last obliged to retreat. The ^^''fJ''',^7VS^Z 
Ulm, eiirhteen miles southwest of the fort, was attacked and one 
hundred'and ninety-two houses burnt. The defense ^as most heroic^ 
The defenders were reinforced by armed ^^f \f^*°'?^ JJ^^\^;,*^';^^ 
Seur and other points. These constructed rude ^amcaxleB abound a 
few of the buildings in the center of the village, and eventually sue 

loo 



186 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION. 



ceoded in di-ivin^ the enemj'- from the place : but all outside had been 
laid iu ashes. New Ulm, a few days before, was a beautiful town of 
nearly 2,000 inhabitants. Its main street ran parallel with the river 
for one and a half miles; the dwellings, the homes of comfort and 
happiness. In a few short hours, it was all one mass of ruins, only a 
small cluster of buildings remaining of what had been a smiling, 
peaceful village. Fort Aboi'crombie and other points were attacked 
by the enemy. Off from the villages, among the farmers, the brutal 
savages had unobstructed scope for their cruelty. The country visited 
by them was studded with the homesteads of that most amiable of 
people, German emigrants, who were the greatest sufferers. 

No language can express the fiendish outrages perpetrated during this satur- 
nalia of savage cruelty. "Not less than two tliousand men, women and children, 
■vrere indiscriminately murdered and tortured to death, and barbariiics of the 
most hellish magnitude committed. Massacre itself had been mercy, if it could 
have purchased exemption from the revolting circumstances with which it wfta 
accompanied; the torture of unborn infants torn from their bleeding mothers, 
and cast upon their breasts ; rape and violence of even young girls till death 
closed the horrid scene of suffering and shame. The theater of depredations ex- 
tended from Otter-tail Lake and Fort Abercrombie, on the Red river, to the Iowa 
boundery, over a front of 200 miles, and from the western bf)undery of the state, 
eastwardly, to its heart, at Forest. City ; an area of 20,000 square miles. Eight- 
een counties were depopulated; 30,000 people driven from their homes, and mill- 
ions, in value, destroyed.." 

"The parts visited by the Indians was one common scene of ruin and devasta- 
tion; but very few houses left standing, and those sacked of ever^'thing worth the 
trouble to steal or effort to destroy — every bed and mattrass, every blanket, spread 
and sheet, every article of wardrobe taken, every trunk broken open and spoiled, 
every article of provision carried off, every horse driven away, nearly every house 
burned with evei-ything in it, and hundreds of families murdered or driven into a 
captivity worse than death. 

Hardly a harvest finished, the grain uncut, the reaper standing where the horses 
were taken off in fright, or by the Indians; unbound, the rake lying on the gravel; 
unshocked, unstacked, every harvest-field trodden under foot, and every corn-field 
ravaged by herds of cattle howling for food, where no hand was left to give. 

"The outraged inhabitants who escaped, wandered over the prairies, enduring 
hardships, trials and sufferings nest only to death itself One little boy. Burton 
Eastlick, less than ten years of age, alternately carried and led by the hand, a 
younger brother of five, taking every precaution to avoid being seen for eighty miles 
to Fort Ridgely, and safely arrived there with him. A woman with her three 
children escaped from her home with barely their lives. The youngest, an infant, 
she carried in her arms; the other two girls walked and ran painfully along by 
her side, through the tangled brush and briar vines. They lived on Avild plums 
and berries, and when these were gone by the frost, on grape-tendrils and roots. 
They coverted like a brood of partridges, trembling, starving, nearly dead. The 
infant died. The mother laid its body under a plum-bush; scraped together a 
heap of dried leaves and covered it; placed a few sticks over them to prevent the 
rude winds from blowing them away ; then, looking hastily around again, fled 
with her remaining ones. It was seven weeks ere they were found and rescued. 
Some of less nerve completely lost their minds by the first fright, and wandered 
about demented through the thickets until found." 

A military force was hastily set on foot by the state authorities and 
placed under command of General Sibley, who checked the massacre, 
rescued the white prisoners — all of whom were women and children — 
and, having beaten the Indians in two battles, at Birch Coolie and 
Wood Lake, captured 2,000 of them, the rest being scattered as fugi- 



IN MINNESOTA. ., o^ 

lo7 
tives in all directions. These Indian captives were siil^sequentiy tried 
and, a large number of them being found guilty, were sentenced to 
be hanged. The final execution of the law, however, was only car- 
ried out on thirty-eight of the assassins. The damage done to that 
portion of the state which was the scene of the massacre, Mill not be 
recovered for years to come. For more than a month a large part of 
the population of Minnesota were fugitives from their devastated 
homes, and dependent on the charities of their distant neighbors, and 
of the generous people of other states for the necessaries of life. 

Writers of the time give these shocking details of the massacre at 
the Aower Agency and vicinity. 

The signal had been given, and almost simultaneously a thousand savage war- 
whoops rent the air. If massacre alone had been their aim, not one from the 
agency would scarce have escaped; but the horses in the barns, the plunder in 
the stores, and the hopes of finding whisky, largely diverted the savages from their 
murderous work. 

Not many of the whites had yet left their houses, or even their beds. Some of 
the savages, having led out tlie liorses, fired the barns. Others rushed for the 
stores and warehouse, shooting before them whomsoever tbey met, by the road- 
side, before doors, or behind the counters. The shelves were soon emptied, M'ith 
the assistance of the squaws, who had followed for the purposes of plunder, and 
the spoil carried away to be quarreled over among themselves. Barrels were 
rolled into the street, boxes tumbled out, and the buildings enveloped in flames. 
Then they burst into the mission chapel, boarding house, and other dwellings, 
tomahawk in hand. Some were hewn to pieces ere they had scarce left their beds ; 
others received their death-wounds leaping from windows or endeavoring to 
escape. 

But who can tell the story of that hour? of the massacre of helpless women 
and children, imploring mercy from those whom their own hands had fed, but 
whose blood-dripping hatchets the next crashed pitiously through their flesh and 
bone — of the abominations too hellish to rehearse— of the cruelties, the tortures, 
the shrieks of agony, the death-groans, of that single hour 1 The few_ that 
escaped by any means heard enough, saw enough, felt enough to engage their ut- 
most powers. Those that staid beiiind never told their story. From house to 
house the torch soon followed the hatchet; the flames enveloped alike the dead, 
dying and wounded. Tired of butchery in detail the savages fired a dwelling, 
and in it burned aUve a mother and her five children ; a few of their charred 
bones were afterward found among the ashes. Some escaped through back doors, 
over fields, down the side of the bljfi' to the river. Those fortunate enougii got 
over by the ferry or otherwise hastened with utmost speed to the fort. Otliers hid 
among the bushes, in hollow logs or holes, behind stumps, or in the water._ Mad- 
dened with unresisted success— for not a shot, not a blow had yet been aimed at 
them— with fiendish yells the Indians followed or sought new victims among yet 
unsuspecting settlers. The ferrv was taken possession of, the ferry-man s house, 
the neighboring stacks, the mills, the piles of lumber, were set on fire, the 
ferrv-man himself, tomahawked before his own door, was disemboweled, his head, 
hanVls and feet chopped off and inserted in the cavity. Ihey overtook a boy try- 
ing to escape. Tearing off every thread of clothing they pricked and pierced 
him with their blunt-headed javelins, laughing at and ^/";>«^^'\g ,^^^ X"^m 
death came to his relief. Narcis Gerrain, as they entered, leaped from he mUl- 
window for the river; ere he had reached it of three shots ^^ey fired at 1 m wo 
Dierced his breast He swam across, almost drowned. Jour days he went with- 
Sod,lnS after dragjng hi-elf! more dead than alive, tl-ug woods ^ind 
swamps for sixtv-five miles: was iound by a party ^^ '-^^''^''f^^^.^^^^lf ^^^^^^^ 
derson Passing a stick through both ankles of a woman, they diagged ner o^er 
the prairie, till, from that alone, torn and mangled, she died 

Those wiio escaped spread the alarm. As they heard it the people fled precip 



188 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



itately, scarce knowing whither they went. After them the Indians followed 
throuL'hout the entire line of settlements, over a frontier of hundreds of miles, 
committing sucli barbarities as could scarce be exceeded if all hell were turned 
loose. Not far from the agency a few families of settlers had congregated. The 
Indians overtook them. The first volley killed the few men among them. The 
defenseless, helpless women and children, huddled together in the wagons, bend- 
ing down tlieir heads, and drawing over them still closer their shawls. "Cut- 
Nose," while two others held the horses, leaped into a wagon that contained 
eleven, mostly children, and deliberately in cold blood tomahawked them all — 
cleft open the head of each, while the others, stupelied with horn^r, powerless 
with fright, as they heard the heavy, dull blows crash and tear through tlesh and 
bones, awaited their turn. Taking an infant from its motlier's arms, before her 
eyes, with a bolt from one of the wagons, they riveted it through its body to the 
fence, and left it tliere to die, writhing in agony. After holding for a while the 
mother before this agonizing spectacle, they chopped ofi' her arms and legs and 
left her to bleed to death. Thus they butchered twenty-five within a quarter of 
an acre. Kicking the bodies out of the wagons they filled them with plunder 
from the burning houses, and sending them back pushed on for other adventures. 

They overtook other parties, killed all the men and children, and led away the 
young women and girls captive for fates worse than death. One familv of a son 
and daughter, and tiieir parents, received the alarm. Before they had time to 
escape they heard the war-whoop, and saw dusky forms approach the door. The 
father fired a shot at them through the window. Before he had time to load 
again the Indians broke in; the family rushed out by the back way, but before 
they had gone many yards the father, motlier and son were killed. The daughter, 
seeing herself alone, fell likewise, and holding her breath feigned herself dead. 
The savages came up and commenced hacking and mutilating the bodies. Seiz- 
ing the girl by her feet they began to drag her off. As ."he instantly made an ef- 
fort to adjust herself, they took her and sent her back with the others they had 
captured. Only those that might serve their base passions were saved, the rest 
were shot down and butchered or tortured to death by inches. 

One incident, if possible, more horrible than any other, was perpe- 
trated on a member of the Schwandt family. All had been murdered 
but a son of Mr. Schwandt, aged thirteen years. He was beaten by 
the Indians until dead, as was supposed ; but he lived to relate the en- 
tire incidents of the tragedy. This boy saw his married sister, Mrs. 
Waltz, who was enciente, cut open, the child taken alive from the 
mother, and nailed to a tree in the yard. It struggled some time af- 
ter the nails were driven through it ! 

Mrs. Jiistina Kreiger, in her narrative, relates some shocking inci- 
dents. She was, with a party of others, men, women and children, 
fleeing with their teams, and for safety, to Fort Ridgely, when they 
were overtaken on the road by a band of Sioux, and most of them 
butchered. After relating how she saw her husband shot, she contin- 
ues : 



I now determined to jump out of the wacon and die beside ray husband; I 
as I was standing up to jump, 1 was shot; seventeen buckshot entering my hoc 
1 then fell back nito the wagon box. I had eiijht children in the wa-'-fHi bed, a 



but 
body. 

, , ,, .- -,_. ^J, and 

one in a shawl ; all my own children, or my step children. All that 1 then knew 
was the fact that I was seized by an Indian and very roughlv dratrged from the 
wagon and that the wagon was drawn over my body and ankles, rremained on 
the held of massacre, and in the place where 1 fell until eleven or twelve o'clock 
at night unconscious of passing events. At this time of night, I arose from the 
Held of the (iead, with a feeble ability to move at all. 

I soon heard the tread of savage nicn, speakinir the Sioux lano-ua^e They came 
near and proved to be two savages only. These^ two went oveV the field examin- 
ing the dead bodies, to rob them of what remained upon them. They soon came 



IN MINNESOTA. Jgg 

to mc, kicked me, then felt my pulse, first on the right hand, then on the left and 



., „. « wv^ ...« .„..^. [.,,.~.v..- V ^..^ ...jv^v^.u^.i, ^«>ju...j, iH7u >""j i""c v.ii/miiii; entirely 
from the body, hut actually penetrating the flesh, making but a slight wound on 
the chest, but at the pit of the stomach entering the body and laving it open to 
the intestines themselves. My arms were then taken separately out of the cloth- 
ing. I was seized rudely by the hair and hurled headlong to the ground, entirely 
naked. How long 1 was unconscious 1 can not imagine, yet I think it was not a 
great while ; when 1 came to 1 beheld one of the most horrible sights I had ever 
seen in the person of myself 1 saw also these two savages about two rods off; a 
light from the north, probably the aurora, enabled me to see objects at some dis- 
tance. At the same time I discovered my own condition, I saw one of these in- 
human savages seize Wilhelmina Kitzman, my neice, yet alive, hold her up by 
the foot, her head downward, her clothes falling over her head; while holding her 
there by one hand, in the other he grasped a knife, with which he hastily cut the 
flesh around one of the legs, close to the body, and then by twisting and wrench- 
ing broke the ligaments and bone, until the limb was entirely severed from the 
body. 'I'he child screamed frantically, God ! God ! when the limb was off. 
The"^ child thus mutilated was thrown down on the ground, stripped of her cloth- 
ing and left to die. The other children of Paul Kitztnan were then taken along 
wiUi the Indians, crying most piteously. I now laid down, and for some hours 
knew nothing more. 

An interesting description is given of the Indian prisoners, by a 
gentleman who saw them at South Bend. He writes : 

They are confined in strong log prisons, and closely guarded, not so much to 
prevent their escape as to secure them from the vengeance of the outraged settlers. 
They are the most hideous wretches that I have ever seen; I have been in the 
prisons of Siniraporo, where the Malay pirates are confined— the Dyacks, wlio are 
the most ferocious and bloody-thirsty of their kind— but they aremiid and hu- 
mane in their appearance, compared to these ISioux warriors. Quite an incident 
occured wiiile 1 was there : A bov who had escaped, after seeing the murder of 
his mother and sisters, was brought in to look at the prisoners and, if possib e to 
indentify them. One of the friendly Indians, who had distinguished himsef by 
his bravery and humanity, accompanied the party to act as interpre er. When 
we entered the loii house that served for a prison, the captives were mostly crouched 
on the floor, but one of them arose and confronted us with a defiant scowl. An- 
other, supporting himself on his arm, surveyed the par y with a l'^^^ ike a tiger 
about to snrin- The bov advanced boldly, and pointed hi.n out without hesi- 
tancy k^flseq^ent investigation showed that this -^^^'^^ ^^^ ^^l^^^^^f^^^. 
Der4ns The bov's eves flashed as he told the sickening tale of his mothe . mur- 
^^d thetp^jl^UcM^could scarcely -f-in f^oin kilHng J.™^h onjhe spo 
He never relaxed his sullen glare, and seemed perfectly indiffeient when told ol 
bis identification by the interpreter. 

. The elo.ng -ene^in 1^ fon.M tj^^T^^^^^^^ 

:;i!;:;rl:^::;ofLJ!^t;::^e^^e;/pipesd^^^^ 

death warrant ; and but little emotion was manifested. 

was solemnized by the Catholic 




uepresseu in spuiia. ^-i".^^" - _ . 

less, and more like statutes than l'^'"?-,'",^"-r>„„ Father Kavoux to the prison of 
On Friday morning, we accompanied the Kev. I'atner 



190 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



the condemned. He spoke to them of their condition and fate, and in such terms 
as the devoted priest only can speak. lie tried to infuse them with courage — 
bade them to hold out bravely and be strong, and to show no sign of fear. While 
Father Ravoux was speaking to them, old Tazoo broke out in a death-wail, in 
whieli one after another joined, until the prison-room was lilled with a wild, un- 
earthly plaint, which was neither of despair nor grief, but rather a paroxysm ol' 
savage pa^.sion, most impressive to witness and startling to hear, even l)y those 
who under.stood the language of the music only. During the lulls of their deatl 
song they would re.'^ume tlieir pipen. and, with the exception of an occasional mut 
ter, or the rattling of tiieir cliains, tliey sat motionless and impassive, until one 
among tlie elder would break out in the wild wail, when all would join again 
in the solemn preparation for death. 

Following this, the Kev. Dr. Williamson addressed them in their native tongue; 
after which, they broke out again in their song of death. This last was thrilling 
beyond expression. The trembling voices, the forms shaking with passionate enid- 
tio'n, the half-uttered words through the teeth, all made up a scene which no onr 
saw can ever forget. The influence of the wild music of their death-s(mg upon 
them was almost magical. Their whole manner changed after they had closed 
their singing, and an air of cheerful unconcern marked all of them. It seemed 
as if, during their passionate wailing, they had passed in spirit through the valley 
of the shadow of death, and already had their eyes fixed on the pleasant hunting- 
grounds beyond. As their friends came about them, they bade them cheerful 
farewells, and, in some cases, there would be peals of laughter, as they were 
wished pleasant journeys to the spirit-land. They bestowed their pipes upon their 
fiivorites, and, so far as they had, gave keepsake trinkets to all. 

They had evidently taken great pains to make themselves presentable for their 
last appearance on the stage of life. Most of them had little pocket mirrors, and, 
before they were bound, employed themselves in putting on the finishing touches 
of paint, and arranging their hair according to the Indian mode. All had reli- 
gious emblems, mostly crosses, of fine gilt or steel, and these were displayed with all 
the prominence of an exquisite or a religieiise. Many were painted in war style, 
with hands and beads and feathers, and were decked as gayly as for a festival. 
They expressed a desire to shake hands with the reporters, who were to write 
about how they looked and acted, and with the artist who was to picture their 
appearance. This privilege was allowed them. The hands of some were of the 
natural warmth, while those of others were cold as ice. Nearly all, on shaking 
hands, would point their fingers to the sky, and say, as plainly as they could, " Me 
going up! " White Day told us it was Little Crow who got them into the scrape, 
and now they had to die for it. One said there was a Great Spirit above who 
would take him home, and that he should die happy. Thus the time passed dur- 
ing the tying of hands, and striking oif the manicles. 

At a little after nine o'clock, a. sr., the Kev. Father Ravoux entered the prison 
again, to perform the closing religious exercises. The guard fell back as he came 
in, the Indians ranging themselves around the room. The Father addressed the 
condemned at some length, and appeared much affected. lie then kneeled on the 
floor in their midst, and prayed with them, all following and uniting M'ith him in 
an audible voice. They appeared like a diff'erent race of beings while going 
through these religious exercises. Their voices were low and humble, and every 
exhibition of Indian bravado was banished. 

While Father Ravoux was speaking to the Indians, and repeating, for the hun- 
dredth time, his urgent request that they must think to the last of the Great Spirit, 
before whom they were about to appear. Provost ]\larshal Redfield entered and 
whispered a word in the ear of the good priest, who immediately said a word or 
two in French to Milord, a half breed, who repeated it in Dakota to the Indians, 
who were all lying d'own around the prison. In a moment every Indian stood 
erect, and, as the Provost Marshal opened the door, they fell in behind him with 
the greatest alacrity. Indeed, a notice of release, pardon, or rey)rieve could not 
have induced them to leave the cell with more apparent willingness than this call 
to death. At the foot of the steps there was no delay. Captain Redfield mounted 



IN MINNESOTA. -jnj 

the drop, at the head, and the Indians crowded after him, as if it were a race to 
see which would get up first. They actually crowded on each other's heels, and 
as they got to the top, each took his position, without any assistance from those 
who were detailed for that purpose. They still kept up a mournful wail, and oc- 
casionally there would be a piercing scream. The ropes were soon arranged 
around their necks, not the least resistance being offered. The white caps, which 
had been placed on the top of their heads, were now drawn down over their faces, 
shutting out forever the light of day from their eyes. Then ensued a scene that 
can hardly be described, and which can never be forgotten. All joined in shout- 
ing and singing, as it appeared to those who were ignorant of the language. The 
tones seemed somewhat discordant, and yet there was harmony in it. Save the 
moment of cutting the rope, it was the most thrilling moment of the awful scene. 
And it was not their voices alone. Their bodies swayed to and fro, and their 
every limb seemed to be keeping time. The drop trembled and shook as if all 
■were dancing. The most touching scene on the drop was their attempt'^ to grasp 
each other's hands, fettered as they were. They were very close to each other, 
and many succeeded. Three or four in a row were hand in hand, and all hands 
swaying iip and down with the rise and fall of their voices. One old man reached 
out each side, but could not grasp a hand. His struggles were piteous, and affected 
many beholders. 

We -were informed by those who understand the language, that their singing 
and shouting was only to sustain each other — that there was nothing defiant in 
their last moments, and that no "death-song," strictly speaking, was chanted on the 
gallows. Each one shouted his own name, and called on the name of his friend, 
saying, in substance, "I'm here!" "I'm here!" Captain l^urt hastily scanned 
all the arrannements for the execution, and motioned to Major Brown, the signal 
officer, that all was ready. There was one tap of the drum, almost drowned by 
the voices of the Indians— another, and the stays of the drop were knocked away, 
the rope cut, and, with a crash, down came the drop. The cutting of the rope 
was assigned to William .1. Duly, of Lake Shetck, who had three children killed, 
and his wife and two children captured. „ , ,,. 

There was no strutrgling by any of the Indians for the space of half a minute. 
The only movements^were the natural vibrations occasioned by the fall. After 
the lapse of a minute several drew up their legs once or twice, and there was 
some movement of the arms. One Indian, at the expiration of ten minutes, 
breathed, but the rope was better adjusted, and life was soon extinct. It is un- 
necessary to speak of the awful sight of thirty-eight human beings suspended m 
the air. Imagination will readily supply what we refrain from describing. 

After the bodies had hung for about half an hour, the physicians of tlie several 
regiments present examined the bodies and reported that lile was extinct, boon 
affer, several United States mule-teams appeared when the bodies were taken 
down and dumped into the wagons without much ceremony, and ^vere carried 
down to the sand-bar in fn.nt of the city, and were a 1 buried in t e san e hole. 
The half-breeds were buried in one corner of the hole, so that they can be disin- 
terred by their friends. J . ,„„„„„ Acfliorlrnr. 

Every thin- was conducted in the most orderly and quiet manner. As the drop 
fell the ciize'ns could not repress a shout of exultation, in which the soldiers 
To nted A boy sok eiC^vho stood beside us, had his mother and brother.s and 
s^ist^rskillfd lis face 'was pale and quivering, but he gave a shout of righteous 
exultation when the drop fell. , , , , Tr.-i;nfninp(l n de- 

the bodies of the murderers off to burial. I ew, we take it, ^^ho ^Mtne.sed the 
awful scene, will voluntarily look upon its like again. 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE REBELLIOlSr 



m 



IOWA. 



During the first three years of the war, Iowa contributed to the 
army of the United States 52,240 men, all of whom, with the excep- 
tion of one regiment, were for three years service. In addition to 
this large force, the state had to summon the militia to protect her 
southern border against lawless men from Missouri, and her northern 
border against Indian outbreaks; and still another force to quell the 
movements of disloyal men in Keokuk county, in 1863. 

She has promptly responded to every call made upon her in advance, 
more than filling her quotas; and no state has exhibited a purer, or 
more active j)atriotism. The spirit of her people was aroused at the 
first insult to the integrity of our nationality. A citizen writing from 
near her western frontier, describes how the population of his section 
responded to the calls of country. It illustrates but the universal 
spirit of the times in loyal communities. 

Greene county lies on that narrow belt of timber, which, like an oasis, stretches 
far up the banks of the Coon river into the vast prairie of northwest Iowa. At 
the last presidential election the county polled but 266 votes. With only a weekly- 
mail, far removed from the excitement incident to thickly populated communities, 
it mi<:!;ht be supposed that the people would manifest but little interest in the war 
movements— but not so. So soon as the news of the repulse of our brave troops at 
Bull Run was confirmed, an effort was made to get volunteers from a small com- 
pany that happened to be on drill. Immediately thirty-three men walked out and 
subscribed their names for the war. Yesterday, the company, numbering seventy- 
two, good hardy sons of toil, having taken the oath, marched for Des Moines, 
their place of temporary rendezvous. Thus, with but a few days notice, one 
fourth of our men went from our midst, resolved to fight, and, i[ "f.eds be, to die, 
for their dear country. Perhaps never in so short a time, since Malise the hencH- 

man — „ 

"That messenger of blood and brand' — 

assembled the clansmen of Roderick Dhu, was a braver and more determined lit- 
tie war party mustered. ., , ,, . . i iu „„iu k- 

One brave fellow, with tears in his eyes, said he could not take the oath be- 
cause bis child was sick and not expected to live a day, but on being assured by 
12 ^^^ 



194 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



hig neifjhbors that his family would be tenderly cared for, he rushed into the 
ranks, and soon marched away. 

Another said he had a poor, sickly wife and youna; babe, and how could he go? 
but go he did, his grey-haired father telling him that he would take care of his 
wife and bade so long as he lived. 

Two brave boys left their father, it may be on his deathbed, and with difficulty 
was the thii'd son dissuaded from going, having once bidden them all good by. 
This morning I asked the father why it was his sons left him thus: "Oh! sir," said 
he, "since they read the account how our wounded soldiers in the hospital, and 
on the battle field at Bull Run were murdered, nothing could restrain them; 
and," continued the father, " I would as soon be dead as have our Government go 
down." I believe no more patriotic or truer men ever assembled on Lanrick 
Heath, or any other ground, than yesterday mustered on the bank of our unclas- 
fiically named Coon river. 

On the subject of our national troubles the feeling of our people is sad, quiet 
and intense. One man said to me yesterday, I hope our brave boys at the war 
will not be discouraged by the defeat of our troops at Bull Run, for we will all 
be ready to go when our turns come. Another of our oldest citizens said : " I 
have labored hard, lived frugally, and endured frontier hardships for twenty years, 
and have obtained what will make each of my children a comfortable home, yet 1 
would freely give up my last dime's worth of property, rather that see our Govern- 
ment abandoned." And this is nearly the universal opinion of our people. 

Once enlisted, it was seldom any regrets were expressed ; thus il- 
lustrating that sacrifice for a good cause but increases love for it. A 
merchant in one of the interior towns of Iowa, the father of five sons, 
had four of them volunteers in the union army. The whole four left 
behind them families. A neighbor, of disloyal tendencies and med- 
dling propensities, dropped into his store one day and began to up- 
braid him for countenancing his sons thus to leave their wives and 
children to go down South to fight in " a nigger war." The eyes of the 
Dther flashed in indignation, as he replied : " They go to protect me and 
my property; and I'll pi'otect their families. There is my fifth and 
last son," pointing to a stripling behind the counter, " he will be old 
enough to enlist in the spring; and if he wont, I'll hang him!" 

Iowa supplied her proportion of officers of merit : among them 
were General Corse, " the hero of Allatoona ; Generals Fitz Henry 
Warren, Tuttle, Dodge, Lauman, Hatch, Rice, Crocker, and Belknap. 
Another was General Curtis, the " hero of Pea Eidge." Still another 
was General Herron, who was one of the younest major generals in 
the service. These two last named were both identified with the army 
■ of the frontier. We subjoin notices of a few of these officers : 

Major General Francis J. Herron was born in Pennsylvania, and about the 
the year ISoG removed to Iowa, where he became engaged in business at Du- 
buque. During the year 1858, young Herron took great interest in the organiza- 
tion of the "Governor's Grays," an Iowa military company, which soon was 
scarcely to be equaled in drill throughout the United States, claiming to rank 
even with the noted Chicago Zouaves. When the secession movement commenced, 
he was captain of the company, and in December, 1860, by a vote of the members, 
he tendered their services to the then Secretary of War — Hon. J. Holt. 

When the president called for three months' volunteers. Captain Herron's com- 
pany was organized as part of the 1st regiment of Iowa volunteers, being desig-. 
nated as company I, and entered the service iMay 9, 1861. Captain Herron dis- 
tinguished himself at the bloody battle of Wilson's creek. Mo., where General 
Lyon fell, August 10, 1861. The period of service of the regiment had previously 
expired ; but instead of taking advantage of this to i-eturn in safety to their homes, 
they volunteered to remain, and marched out to bajtle against overwhelming 



IN IOWA. 195 

numbers. No general could ever say of an Iowa regiment, as McDowell reported 
of an Eastern corps — whose time had expired orT the eve of conflict — '• they 
marched away to the sound of the enemy's guns." 

Captain Herron then returned home to raise a three years' regiment, and suc- 
ceeded; obtaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the'Och Iowa infantry, with 
a commission dated from September 10, 1861. The regiment became attached to 
General Curtis' forces, operating in southwestern Missouri, and participated in the 
battles of Pea Ridge, ISlarch 7 and 8, 1862, where and when Lieutenant Colonel 
Herron commanded his regiment — the colonel having charge of a brigade. Dur- 
ing the second day's light, Lieutenant Colonel Herron was severely wounded by 
a cannon shot, breaking his leg at the ankle, at the same time that it killed his 
horse. Notwithstanding the nature of this wound, he led his men on foot for over 
an hour longer, until they reached the enemy's batteries, where he was surrounded, 
and after a desperate resistance, taken prisoner. He was removed to Van Buren, 
Arkansas, but shortly after exchanged, and placed under' the charge of a careful 
surgeon. So valuable an officer was Lieutenant Colonel Herron considered by 
General Curtis, that he gave in exchange for him a full rebel colonel — Louis He- 
bert — so that Lieutenant ('olonel Herron might not die on the rebel hands, but 
have proper attention paid to his wounds. 

On the 16th of July, 1862, Lieutenant Colonel Herron was promoted to be a 
brigadier general of volunteers, and at the battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, 
December 7, 1862, he not only commanded two divisions of union troops, but 
fousiht and won the battle, against overwhelming numbers, before his reinforce- 
ments came up. During this engagement he lead one of his divisions in person. 

Several Iowa regiments took part in this desperate battle of Prairie 
Grove, and a description of it is due alike to them and to their heroic 
commander. The following is from the pen of one who was present : 

General Blunt had advanced some twenty miles south of Fayetteville, Arkan- 
sas, with his forces, and there drawn the attack of Hindman, who advanced upon 
him rapidly from Van Buren, with about 30,000 troops and twenty-two pieces of 
artillerv Blunt, with his little band of 10,000 men at Cane Hill, would have 
been but a mouthful for such an immense army of well disciplined soldiery aa 
this He knew his danijer, and sent hurried messages to General Herron who 
had the command of the' 2d and 3d divisions of the army of the frontier, and was 
at that time at Wilson's creek, four miles south of bpringtield, Mo 1 he moment 
General Herron received intelligence of General Blunts danger, he set his army 
in motion and made forced marches, accomplishing the feat of pushing his infan- 
try one hundred and twelve miles in three days, and his cavalry one hundred and 
thirty-two miles in two days and a half j • x- „*• fu<» laf 

On the morning of the 7th instant, as the advance guard, consisting of the 1st 
Ark 
ing 

:^ul,:n?tl^los;!;r;h;i;-bag^ge train of twenty-four wa^ They went t^ 
ing back two or three miles, until they met the main body, when t^^^J ^^^^^^^^^^ 
on^ce more. Major Hu bbard, of Pea Kidge fame, wi h %P«f ,*^" «^.f,^ ^^'^^XJi' 
of the 1st Missouri cavalry, tried to stem the tide of ^f Jf ' '.'"^^/J^lroTers 
Their superior numbers bore down everything '^^f^f^, ^^T' ^"^^^^^^ 
this little band. Major Hubbard himself and two «f ^ ^ .'''^"(^^^/f^'^^Xv ^Tr^e 
tured and the remainder forced ^J^^^^:^^X:^,,SZ:t^ZrIZ 
soon brought forward, and a tew pieces oi '"''"'*'t=,^ » , Hprron followed up his 
told sc„u-„drel, b»ok „, '»r''%- *7;„»rf„„S hC^^,"f in coSrt^ th« 
advantage as quickly as possible, and soon louuu 

main relael force. „^v.o,.faHnns was well clothed, well armed 

This splendid army, conti^ry to ""''^J^^^f ^ery It consisted of a corps 

and well fed, and better drilled than oui own soldiery^ ^.^.^.^^^^ ^^^_ 

of 26,000 men, commanded by ^^^"^'^'^^^^'^Hrmaduke Rains and Frost, and was 
manded respectively by Generals Parsons, Marmaduke, riains 




196 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

suppoi'ted by a park of artillery of twenty-two giins. Besides this, they had a 
great advantage in position. The battle field was a magnificent stretch of open 
ground, skirted on the east by an abrupt hill, covered with thick woods. On this 
bluff, concealed hy the forest, were posted the rebels in full force. 

Our forces only numbered 6500 or 7000, and consisted of the following infan- 
try: The 94th and 37th Illinois; the 19th and 20th Iowa; the 26th Indiana and 
26th Wisconsin. In addition to these were four companies of artillery, wiio 
worked 24 guns, and some half a dozen companies of cavalry. Our men were 
worn down by a long and continuous forced march, and some of them had been 
without food for twenty-four hours. However, when the ball opened, they deployed 
into the field with loud huzzas, and went at the work in hand with great bravery. 
It took some little time to get into position, and place the batteries in the most 
comma-nding localities, and it was fully ten o'clock, a m., before the artillery duet 
was in full voice. As may be imagined, forty-five or fifty cannon well manned 
and discharged as rapidly as possible, make a tremendous racket. Tiiis was kept 
up until dark, when by that time green troops, who had never seen a cannon be- 
fore, laid down within a yard of a gun and slept, undisturbed by the firing. Wc 
did not lose a single man throughout the whole day by artillery, though a score 
or two of horses were killed. Our gunners were much more skilled and precise 
in their aim than the rebels, which was shown by the result. 

Upon the bluff or ridge occupied by the secesh, were many fine farm houses, 
which had been erected upon the elevation to escape the damps and vapors of the 
plain below. From the rear of two of these houses, was kept up a well-directed 
fire of some eight or nine guns, iieneral Herron ordered the whole fire of our 
artillery to be directed upon the battery nearest to us, and silenced it in ten 
minutes. 

The 20th Wisconsin infantry, led by Lieutenant Colonel Bertram, then charged 
up the hill and took the battery upon a double-quick. They had no sooner gained 
possession of the well-earned prize, than the rebels arose in myriads from the 
bushes in the rear of the garden containing the battery in question, and poured 
a fire into the ranks of our boys that sent their columns reeling l)ack down the 
declivity again, withgreat loss of life and limb. In this struggle 197 were reported 
oflBcially, as killed and wounded. 

The rebels fought desperately, and seemed no more to regard a shower of bullets 
or a storm of grape than if it had been but a summer wind. No sooner had a 
solid shot plowed its way through their columns, or a shell opened a gap in their 
lines, than the vacancies were filled by others. They advanced steadily once more 
upon our left, and there we knew would be the hottest tug of the day. "'Tis 
darkest just before the dawn," some one has said. 'Twas so in our case. By a 
bold movement the rebels were once more checked, and just then the word came 
that the firing upon our extreme right was that of General Blunt, who had ar- 
rived with a strong battery, and about Jive thousand men. This intelligence added 
new courage to our men, and sent a vigor into every movement that meant victory 
or death. 

General Blunt ranged bis twenty-four pieces in a line, and opened a galling fire 
upon the left wing of the rebel army, and drew a portion of their attention to- 
ward his forces. They advance upon him from the wood at a double-quick, in 
eight ranks, seemingly half a mile long. They went down a gentle smooth slope, 
with an easy prey apparently in view. When they had got to a certain point, within 
cannister range, he opened his entire fire upon them, ''fairly lifting them from the 
ground," as he afterward described it. This checked their impetuosity, and 
put terror into their hearts, but still they came on. Another and another volley 
was given them until they broke and fled, and when the remnant of this storming 
party had left the field the ground was strewn and piled with rebel slain. In the 
meantime our boys had not been idle. Th'ey pressed the enemy hotly at every 
point., and as the sun went down they were falling back in every direction. Be- 
fore it had becoine fully dark, the only sounds of firing heard were those of our . 
own musketry and cannon. The field was won and the victory gained. 

At nine o'clock of the same evening the enemy were in full retreat toward Van 



IN lOAVA. 197 



Buren, ana at daylight tins mornino; they were twelve miles away. A more com- 
plete and glorious victory never was obtained. As soon as the pall of night had 
descended" upon their motions, a perfect stampede took place. Everything this 
morning denotes a hasty flight, and great fear lest we should pursue them. _ Al- 
thoui^htheir force was large enough to crush us completely — in fact annihilate 
us — and they were well equipped and handled, our little army, of comparatively 
inexperienced troops, eifected a brilliant repulse and won an unquestionable vic- 
tory. This morning all the contested ground and every inch of the battle-field 
are in our hands, and the only rebels in view are piles of the dead and the am- 
bulance parties carrying away the wounded. 

The weather of the 7th was delightful. The sun shown clearly in a cloudless 
sky, and the air was as balmy and quiet as on a June morning. It was remarked 
by many old soldiers that if the continent had been searched it would have been 
impossible to have selected a more beautiful field of battle than that of Prairie 
Grove General Herron's forces entered it from the northern extremity, and those 
of General Blunt from the southern. The rebels were posted upon the hills and 
and in the woods for four miles along the eastern side of the field, while our bat- 
teries occupied the elevations upon the western side, a httle more than a mile 
from the rebel lines. The intervening space was firm sward plowed field, stub- 
ble land, standing corn, and a narrow strip of brushwood, which skirted a litt e 
brook running throus^h the middle of the valley. This open country was held 
by our infantry, and there they went through their maneuvers ^^ f^^" ['^w of 
General Herron, who, for a good portion of the time, occupied a little hi 1 near 
MuTpl y's battery, on the western side of the field. There could be witnessed 
the whole of this ntensely exciting strife, not a movement of which escaped the 
nuick attention of our young commander. The bnlluint but disastrous charges 
Se bX 20th VVisconsin and 19th Iowa upon the rebel battery were as plainly 
S be eln as Ae moves upon a chess board. The swarms upon swarms of rebe 
that came troopfn- out of the wood upon our left in numbers sufficient to appal 
a heart less sEon. than that of our commander were as openly seen with their 

general and a sleepless soldier. i . , i a 

of General Herron to his army after the victory. 

ADDRESS TO THE TROOPS. 

.rv,or,f tn the end of the battle, bear constantly 
Soldiers !— From the commencement to tlie ena 

in mind what I now urge upon you: because the enemy does, nor 

First. Never fire because your comrades ^0' "J^^^^g^ing rapidly. Always 

because you happen to see t]- enemy -i for the s^ake o^^^ .iSgle^out your man, 

wait till you are certainly within ^^"g\°' J" /gre 

take deliberate aim, as low ch.wn as t^^ ^"«^- -^l, .g. the enemy's officers, espe- 
Second. When occasion offers be certain to p 

ciallv the mounted ones, and to kill ^ '« J^^^^^^^^^^^^ the enemy. As a general thing, 
Third. Don't shout, except when jouchar^-e^ ^^^^^_^ J ^^^^ ^g^^^^.^^ ,3ut p^y 

keep silent, that orders may '^\f^'^''^-.,„f {unauthorized persons. _ 

no ittention to idle rumors, or the ^«^'^/ J^^" de ; the surgeon and infirmary 

Fourth. Don't stop with your '^^^''J'f'^J^^^^^ Avenge him. 
corps will tak-e care oT him do you go ^?^^'j^ ^he enemy, all he has will be 

Fifth. Don t break ranks to plunaei . 



1QQ TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

ours ; if not, the spoils will l)e of no benefit to us. Plunderers and strafiglers 
will be put to death upon the spot. File-closers are specially charged with this 
duty. The cavalry in rear will likewise attend to it. 

Keraember that the enemy you eng.iire has no feeling of mercy or kindness to- 
ward you. His ranks are made up of Fin Indians, free negroes, Soutiiern tories, 
Kansas jayhawkers, and hired Dutch cut-throats. These bloody ruffians have in- 
vaded your country, stolen and destroyed your property, murdered your neighbors, 
outraged your women, driven your children from their homes, and defiled the 
graves of your kindred. If each man of you will do what 1 have here urged 
upon you, we will utterly destroy them. We can do this; we must do it; our 
country will be ruined if we fait 

A just God will strengthen our arms and give us a glorious victory. 

T. C. UlNDMAN, 

Major General Commanding. 
Official : K. C. Nkwton, A. A. General. 

congratulatory address of general herron after the battle of prairie grove. 
Headquarters 2d and 3d Divisions, Army of the Frontier, | 
Prairie Gkove, Ark., December 10, 18G2. j 
Fellow Soldiers: — It is with pride and pleasure that I am enaliled to congratu- 
late you on the victory so recently achieved over the enemy. Meeting their com- 
bined forces, vastly your superiors in numbers, armed and equipped in the most 
efficient manner, contrary to what we have been led to believe, marshaled by their 
ablest generals, posted in a strong position of their own selection, prepared and 
ready to attack us, entertaining toward us feelings of hatred and fiendish passion, 
evoked by infamous lies which even rebel generals should have disdained to utter, 
you, fellow-soldiers, after a forced march of over one hundred miles in less than 
three days; weary, exhausted, and almost famishing, animated only by that feel- 
ing of patriotism that induced j'ou to give up the {)leasures and comforts of home 
to undergo the dangers and hardships of the field, did most gallantly meet, fight 
and repulse the enemy. Your fellow soldiers, elsewhere, your friends and rela- 
tives at home, your fellow-citizens and your country, as they learn of the splendid 
service of the artillerymen, of the determined, daring and brilliant charges of the 
infantry, will render you that praise and honor which is justly your due. Iowa, 
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri, your native states, are proud of their 
noble sons. I, who witnessed your gallant daring in every encounter, in behalf 
of your country and myself, tender you grateful thanks for the services you have 
rendered. While we drop a tear, therefore, for those who have fallen, "and sym- 
pathize with those who are yet suffering, let us not forget to render thanks to "the 
beneficent Giver of all blessings for the success that has thus far attested the 
truth and right of our glorious cause. F. J. IIerron, 

Brigadier General Commanding 2d and 3d Divisions. 

Major General Samuel E. Curtis was born in Ohio in 1807 ; gradu- 
duated at West Point ; studied the law ; was a colonel of volunteers 
in the Mexican war ; and military governor of Monterey. On his re- 
turn home he divided his time between law and railroad engineering. 
He settled at Keokuk, and represented that district in congress at the 
outbreak of the rebellion. He gained lasting military reputation by 
his signal victory at Pea Eidge, described in our article, " Times of the 
Eebellion in Missouri." 

Major General G. M. Dodge was born in Massachusetts ; graduated 
a1? Partridge's military school, at JSforwich, Yt., and was by profession 
a civil engineer. He entered the service as colonel of the Iowa 4th. 
He commanded a brigade, and was wounded at Pea Eidge. He was 
at Corinth, luka, Holy Springs and Vicksburg, at which last he was 
promoted to major general. In the Atlanta campaign he "commanded 
the 16th army corps. He was again severely wounded during the 



IN IOWA. ^ 199 

siege of Atlanta. Subsequently he was ordered to Fort Leavenworth 
in Kansas, and assigned to the command of that department. One 
who knew him relates the following illustrative anecdote: 

While at Trenton, West Tennessee, we saw him do a thing which save ns a 
high opinion of his energy and determination. The iMobile and Ohio raih-oad 
had just been repaired, and as he had been entrusted with the construction he 
•was anxious to get the trains through. One of the first locomotives that came 
down ran off the track near Trenton. He ordered all in the vicinity to help get 
it on ; he pulled off his coat and helped at it himself, giving them such an exam 
pie of working, driving energy, and showing such good judgment and vim in his 
directions and labor, that the damage was speedily repaired, and the train was 
soon whisding on its way. We were satisfied that General Dodge was no kid 
glove officer, but an earnest, practical, intelligent soldier, who did what many 
others would have only bunglingly ordered, and who thought it no disgrace to put 
his shoulder to the wheel if the cart stuck in the mud. 

Brigadier General John M. Corse w^as nationally known for his he- 
roic defense of Allatoona, in Sherman's Georgia campaign. The de- 
tails of this remarkable affair have thus been outlined : 

After General Hood crossed the Chattahoochee, a force of five brigades and 
eight guns, under General French, attacked Big Shanty, on the Chattanooga rail- 
road, and succeeded in taking the place. They then moved on Ackworth, further 
north, which occupied them until evening. The next morning, October 5th, they 
drove in the Federal pickets at Allatoona. This post was defended by Brigadier 
General John M. Corse, who had abandoned Rome in order to protect Allatoona, 
which was of far greater value, from falling into the hands of the enemy. 

General Corse commanded a garrison of 1700 men. General French, the rebel 
commander, sent to Corse a summons to surrender "to avoid the useless effusion 
of blood." Corse replied that he and his command "were ready for the useless 
effusion as soon as was agreeble to General French." Leaving their artillery on 
the south side, to shell the position, the rebels swung their infantry round to the 
north front, which was more practicable. The attack was violent and determined, 
and lasted until the middle of the afternoon, when the enemy withdrew, leaving 
1300 killed and wounded on the field. Nearly 700 of Corse's heroes were either 
killed or wounded. 

The rebels numbered about 7500 in all. They came provided with a wagon 
train to remove the rations which Sherman had accumulated at Allatoona, but 
they went away with empty wagons. The dead rebels had their haversacks full 
of uncooked black beans, sugar cane, etc. General Corse was wounded in the 
head, but not seriously. Only four guns were mounted in the fort. If the rebels 
had succeeded in taking the place, they would have been able, with the rations on 
hand, to have held it for several weeks. ,^ , . -^u i. 4.u 

General Sherman witnessed the action from Kenesaw Mountain, with breath- 
less interest, aware of the vast interests at stake and peril to his future campaign 
in case of Corse's defeat. Two days afterward he issued a congratulatory order, 
commending General Corse for his gallant defense, which he considered an exam- 
ple illustrating both the necessity and possibility of defending fortified positions 
to the last. . 

No other state, we believe, has furnished a regiment with such a 
record as that of the 37th Iowa, or Greybeard regiment. 

The formation of the 37th or Greybeard regiment ^""^Vl^ted the strength of 
patriotism among the people of Iowa. Th s regiment was all compo ed of volun- 
teers not one o'f whom was liable to military duty. Every membei wa over 
fortv-five years of age; and, therefore, t ^f«f ^.J^^he Greybeard^ regiment 
When firs mustered into service, the regiment had^ 907 men^ ^^Z.Jn7m the 
our volunteers are familiarly called, then had 1374 sons and p^^^^^^^ 
union army. Twenty-seven of the common soldiers of the Greybeaids were mm 
isters of the gospel; "20 of these Methodist preachers. 



200 . TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

The regiment were mostly substantial farmers from eastern Towa ; their Colo- 
nel G. W. Kincaid, beina; also an agriculturist from Muscatine county. No other 
state in the union has furnished such a corps as this; and no provision was made 
in the laws of the country for the acceptance of such. The War Department sur- 
mounted the difficulty, and they were mustered into service on the 15th Decem- 
ber, 1862. 

The regiment was designed for garrison duty, and were so employed, rendering 
most effective service. At Alton, Illinois, they guarded the rebel prisoners and 
with a remarkable faithfulness and success. The police of the prison was carried 
out with a thoroughness previously unknown, and the escapes were less. On being 
ordered to St. Louis, the citizens of Alton, headed by their mayor, keenly alive 
to the value of their services, assembled in public meeting, passed a series of ap- 
preciative resolutions, and united in a petition to the War Department, to retain 
them at their post. It was unsuccessful, as they had been ordered immediately 
away. 

In Missouri, they guarded 180 miles of the Pacific railroad. They were, after 
this transferred to other points, and were at Memphis in 1864, when Forrest's 
cavalry made their sudden dash into that city. In 1865, they were employed in 
guarding the prisoners at Camp Chase, Ohio, and a part were also on duty at Cincin- 
nati. As late as March, 1865, when the regiment was in its tliird year of service, 
it mustered 500 muskets, more than half of its original number, its labors were 
unusually severe, for nearly the entire period each man was summoned on guard 
duty, every other day. 

Not all of this paternal corps set good soldierly examples. One old hunter and 
trapper, who "passed" by the name of Penny, and aged sixty-five, proved to be 
"bad coin." lie ran off, and although due "hue and cry" was made, nearly 
three years elapsed before his hunters got on the rigiit "scent," and he was dis- 
covered. The "old boy" was arrested as a deserter while setting his traps on 
the head waters of a frontier stream. 

"We turn from such a sad, melancholy dereliction of duty to the 
more pleasant contemplation of a sketch of the faithful Father King, 
aged eighty-two years. It is drawn by one who knew and probably 
loved him. This father in the Greybeard camp makes a good picture 
of a Western pioneer. He may, indeed, be termed a "representative 
man." 

The venerable Curtis King, "high private," in company H of the celebrated 
37th Iowa, the regiment of "Silver Greys," or "Greybeards," has deservedly at- 
tracted much attention, alike from his great age, elevated character and exemplary 
patriotism. The following authentic particulars, obtained by an interview with 
him, can not fail to be read with interest: 

" Father Kin^;," as his friends love to designate him, is six feet and an inch in 
hight, of massive and well knit frame, genial presence, careful and kindly speech, 
good health and spirits, and will be eighty-two years of age on the 10th of May 
next. He is able to perform his military duties with alacrity, and has sustained the 
fatigues of guard duty with much less inconvenience than many younger soldiers.. 
While those who were his juniors by scores of years, have been rendered invalida 
through patrol duty at night, this veteran of more than four-fifths of a century, 
has unintevmittently returned to his post with cheerfulness and comfort. For 
this extraordinary power of endurance, at so advanced an age, he is indebted to 
a constitution derived from a family remarkable for strength, vivacity, stature, 
and longevity, and to his healthful habits of toil and religious sobriety.' 
_ Prior to the Revolution his grandfather. King, left Ireland, and with wife and 
six sons emigrated to the colony of Virginia, where, in the valley of the Rappa- 
hannock and in Culpepper county, he located ort a mile square of land, leased 
from Colonel Carter. On this^ract the children were reared, married and brought 
up their families. Thence King, youngest of the six sons and the father of Curtis, 
died at the age of fifty years from tlie bite of a copperhead— a fact which does 
not help to lessen the son's detestation of our more veuomous modern copperheads. 




^I>f: \^th Iowa raising the Union Finn on. the nexo (unfinished) State 
Capitol at Columbia, South Carolina. 



IN IOWA. 203 

Curtis' father fought under Washington through the Revolutionary war and was 
guarding prisoners at Winchester when relieved by the return of peace.' Aaion<r 
the first emigrants to the free soil of Ohio, was Curtis' only brother and two of 
his five sisters, while he and three sisters remained with their widowed mother 
on the old farm. At the age of nineteen, Curtis obtained the consent of the rest 
of the family to transfer their residence to the Great West, and after a journey of 
eight tedious weeks over the rugged mountains, they rejoined their friends at 
Hillsboro', in Highland county, Ohio. 

It is worthy of remark, that in Virginia, neither the wealthy grandsire, nor any 
of his descendants ever used slaves. Curtis rented a cottage for his mother and 
his three sisters, but before long he found the latter all married and himself and 
mother alone, lie thereupon, as he states, considered what he should do to make 
her happy, and concluded to marry a certain attractive young widow, of thirty-six 
years, "of good report, pious, and well disposed." He was then not 20 years old. 
Locating his wife and mother together, he devoted himself arduously to " trying 
to make a living," and " found the labor of his hands blessed abundantly, so that 
before long he was comfortably fixed in his sphere of life." Then new territories 
were discovered beyond the Mississippi and he was still led after them and was 
successful in his locations, and continued on the gaining land abundantly. In 
the town of Danby, Hendricks county, Indiana, his mother died, and was buried 
at the age of one hundred and three years. Her name was Obedience, and she 
was the daughter of Colonel lilackwell, of Virginia, a connection of the family of 
John Randolph, of Roanoke. ^Subsequently Curtis and his increasing family re- 
moved to Richland township, Wapello county, Iowa, near the Ues Moines river, 
where they have now resided nearly sixteen years. 

He has now been twenty-five years married to his second wife, who is just half 
his age, or forty-one years, and was sixteen when united in marriage with him, he 
being then fifty-seven years old. By her he has nine sons and tliree daughters, 
and by his former wife had six sons and three daughters — in all twenty-one chil- 
dren, 15 of them sons. The Irish ancestor, Curtis' grandfather, lived to the age 
of one hundred and fifteen years, and was six feet and six inches in stature. 
Several of Curtis' uncles were seven feet in bight, and lived to an extreme old 
age. His mother's father migrated from England to Virginia, and here lived upon 
the rental of his ancestral estates in the old country. After his demise, the old- 
est son, Curtis Blackwell, removed from America to England, to manage the es- 
tate of his father. r ■> r\ 

The .venerable lowan has been in active military service since the 25th October 
last. He may well be excused a feeling of pride in his personal hi^^.ory and ant^ 
cedents, and a desire that the facts of his life and family, since they have excited 
curiosity and comment, should be correctly published. May he be spared to hail 
the return of peace and the restoration of the union ! 

Of the conduct of the men of Iowa in battle we could fill a vol- 
ume. We give a few instances— opening with the last decisive charge 
at Fort Donelson : <^ 

On the riiiht, however, lay an open space, up which climbed the l^rigade of 
Lauman. The 2d Iowa led the charge, followed by the rest in their order. Ihe 
sight was sublime. Onward they sped, heedless of the bullets and balls of the 
enemy above. The hill was so steep that the rebels left a gap in their line of 
rilie-rrits on this crest of hill. Through this gap they were bound to go- li'ght 
up they went, climbing on all-fours, their line of dark blue advancing; the 
lite li'^ie of smoke froS the top of the works opposed.by a line from our roops^ 

Thev reach the top-numbers fall-the suspense is breathless! hee ! they 
climb -over the w'o^ksithcy fall-they are lost! Another group and s. another 
and another, closes up the gap. All is covered in smoke, j.^^f ^^J-f «° >« "^^^^^^^ 
.he troops swarm up the hill side, their bright bayonets glittering in the sun, and 

''^^!:;i:'^:":<.nderf.l is, that Captain Stone's battery of^med^-p^nd^ 
close behind the brigade, is tugging up the hill, the horses plunging, the ndeis 



204 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



whipping. Upward they go, where never vehicle went before, up the precipitous 
and clogged sides of the hill. No sooner on tlie cret<t than their guns are nnlim- 
bered and the men at their posts. Percussion sliells and canister are shot spite- 
fully from the Parrot guns at the fljing enemy. The day is gained — the position 
is taken — the troops surround the guns, and the enemy has deserted his post. The 
34-pounder, which had caused so much havoc, is silenced by Colonel Cook's bri- 
gade, and the rebels fly to the main fort in alarm. Tlie day is gained — the foe is 
running! Cheers upon cheers rend the air, and in a few minutes all is hushed. 

At the battle of Shiloali it is said of them : 

The 2d, 3d, 6th, 7th, 8th, yth, llth, 12th, 13th, 14th, loth, and 16th Iowa regi- 
ments were engaged in this battle. The 7th had made itself glorious at Belmont 
and the 2d at Fort Uonelson, the 7th being at both battles. Uere every Iowa 
regiment did its duty, and their lists of killed and wounded prove it The 8th, 
12th, and 14th were nearly all taken prisoners; and it was because they fought 
and held their ground to the last, in obedience to orders, instead of " retiring," as 
Bome of the Ohio and Illinois regiments did, and thus saving themselves, (jieneral 
Prentiss was taken prisoner with a portion of them. Many of our Iowa Held and 
company officers have been killed or wounded, and the record shows or will show 
when an official report is made, that our Iowa troops shed their blood as freely 
as those from any other state. 

Two Iowa regiments were led into the battle-field before their baggage had left 
the river. Arms had been placed in their hands only a few days before, for the 
first time, and they had never been drilled in loading and firing. Probably three 
fourths of them had never before seen a ball-cartridge; yet two regiments of bet- 
ter man-material had never left the State of Iowa nor any other state, nor men 
more eager for a fight or placing tliat fight more distinctly on principle. The lotli 
was led almost directly to the battle-field, and afterward was intermingled with 
the 16th. The latter was led across an open field exposed to a rebel battery fire, 
and when formed in line on the opposite side was ordered back again by a " Gen- 
eral" commanding. Arras and legs were cut oif and several men killed while 
crossing this field and retiring, yet the regiment behaved noblj' — certainly better 
than could have been expected of raw recruits under their first fire. The regi- 
ment was afterward formed, with the 15th, in another exposed field — a rebel bat- 
tery and musketry in front in the woods. Here our regiments fought, for over an 
hour, against an almost concealed foe. In the mean time, an old regiment, of 
another state, came up and took position, and was the Jirst to retire from the 
field. The Iowa regiments retired only when an advance and flanking movement 
was simultaneously made by an overwhelming force of the enemy. A delay of 
five minutes would have resulted in the surrounding and capture of our small force. 
The result was, in the loth, the colonel wounded in the neck, major in the shoul- 
der, twenty killed, and some eighty wounded ; in the 16th, the colonel wounded 
in the arm, lieutenant-colonel had his horse shot, twenty-six killed and ninety- 
three wounded, the color-sergeant killed and six of tlie eight color-guard wounded. 
I would thank you to compare this with the Reports of many old regiments re- 
ported by correspondents as having fought all day long most desperately, and 
had their hundreds killed and wounded. 1 think you will find "the average not up 
to ours. That afternoon, the 16th, or a large portion of the regiment, was again 
in the battle, supporting a battery, under heavy rebel artillery-fire. At night they 
were in the advance, under Generals Hurlbut and Lauman, lying out in a drench- 
ing rain and expecting a conflict every moment. Next day they were marched out 
to join in the Monday's battle, but were held back to protect a reserve battery. 
That night and the following they lay out in the cold rarn and mud, without over- 
coats or blankets, on duty. 

Let me here say, that when these regiments marched to the battle-field on Sun- 
day morning, they met scores and hundreds of soldiers belonging to other regi- 
ments (not one man from an Iowa regiment) going back to the river. In answer 
to inquiries, they all said their regiments had been " cut to pieces," and tlie rebels 
were whipping us, etc. They could not be turned back, although the effort was 
repeatedly made, and they warned our regiment not to advance; but the Iowa 



m IOWA. 205 

boys pushed straight ahead and iwhiy did their duty. That afternoon thousands 
of these men were on the river bank, and aids not beini^ able to rally them een 
erals themselves came down and literally drove them with swords to their dutv 
No Iowa soldier, or but very few, were found in that cowardly crowd ; but Iowa 
officers helped to rally these recreants and march them off to the battle-field. 

At the charge of Black-Eiver bridge, in Grant's Vicksburg cam- 
paign, the 23d Iowa, of Lawler's brigade, won laurels. The circum- 
stances are thus told by one of the soldiers : 

Only eight companies were' engaged in the charge, two being deployed as skir- 
mishers at the time. There is no charge on record, in the history of this war more 
brilliant or daring than that of the 23d on the Ulackliiver bridge fortifications. 
When we received the order to charge, from our gallant Colonel Kinsman we had 
a steep river-bank before us, then nearly a quarter of a mile of clear ground to 
the breast-works; on our right was a line of rifle pits filled with rebel sharp- 
shooters. At the word — forward, every man jumped upon the bank. A terrible 
enfilading fire from the sharpshooters struck our men ere we had hardly shown our 
heads. Onward the reiiiment dashed, the field and line-officers waving their swords 
in the front, led by Colonel Kinsman. The cross-fire of the rebels grew more 
terrible at every step. Many were lying dead and wounded on the ground. Our 
colonel fell, wounded in the leg; he rose up and again struggled forward ; he was 
struck again and fell mortally wounded. For an instant it seemed that all were 
slain, so rapidly did our men fall. Lieutenant-Colonel Glasgow was now far in the 
lead, crying out to his men to avenge the death of their colonel. We beheld, for 
the first time, a deep, wide ditch, full of water, extending all along the front, and 
across the flank of the rebel works ; but, nothing daunted, the right of the regi- 
ment, which came first on the works, plunged across the ditch, formed across the 
flank of the intrenchment, and poured a destructive enfilading fire into the mass 
of rebels at a few paces distant, 'fhey could not stand this, at once they started 
from their former place of safety; the right of the regiment rushed upon them 
with the bayonet, the left had swung across the ditch and were on the works too* 
The whole rebel line fled when their left broke. Exhausted as our men were, 
they outran the flying butternuts, in their efforts to reach the bridge, and took 
1,600 of them prisoners. We had possession of the strong defenses of Black- 
River bridge, with seventeen pieces of artillery. This part of the programme 
was played in three minutes, solely by the 23d Iowa, during which time 120 men 
fell on the field. After this the rest of the brigade got up, and took a large num- 
ber of prisoners on our right and left, who had thrown away their guns when 
they saw their defeat. iMany escaped across the railroad bridge, some even swam 
the river, and quite a number were drowned while making this attempt. 

The 21st and 22d Iowa and 11th Wisconsin were the regiments that supported 
us. They did their duty well; but the rebels were utterly routed before these 
reo-iments reached the works; and owing to the rapidity with which the 23d 
moved, the supporting regiments did not get near enough to receive much dam- 
ao-e from the rebel fire. They were all splendid regiments, and have since dis- 
tinguished themselves in a desperate assault on the defenses of Vicksburg. 

The following incident occurred at the same battle, and is told 
under the caption of. The Methodists in the Fight: 

The 24th Iowa is called a Methodist regiment. The colonel and several of the 
captains are Methodist preachers, and a majority of the soldiers are members of 
the Methodist Church. "^They did some of the best fighting of the day, yesterday 
They went into the battle full of enthusiasm, and not one of them fli°«hed dur ng 
the engagement. Their major was wounded late in the day. H^/^lked from the 
field, a^id, on his way to the hospital captured a «'^1^'},^V'T f 'It'..? Tt was 
pelled him to carry him on his back to the provost-marshal s headquarters It was 
a laughable sight \o see Major Wright riding his captive into camp. The casualty- 
list of the MeThodists is very large, and shows that hey stood up to their work 
like true soldiers. On retaining from the battle-held in the evening they held a 



^^ TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

06 

;Hgious meeting, at -which the exercises were very impressive. As I write they 
•e tilling the wooJs with " Old Hundred." 

In this battle, after the enemy had been driven across the bridge, 
ley endeavored to burn it to prevent pursuit, firing it in several 
laces. The Iowa men made a strong effort to save it. 

Conspicuous among the latter was Klias II. Durand of the 27th Iowa. Noticing 
6-pouuder, that had been deserted by the foe, too liurriedly to permit even of 
s being fired or spiked, lie sprang to it, and turning it by liimsclf upon a group 
' rebels on the bridge, sighted it with the utmost coolness and precision, and 
'ed. The double charge of grape was well aimed, and, as the heroic gunner 
)rang upon the piece to see the effect of his discharge, a yell of triumph from 
is comrades rang out upon the air. Of the rebel group all but two lay dead or 
(ring on the timber they were endeavoring to kindle. Twice more did our im- 
•omptu artilleryman — who, it must be stated, did not belong to that arm of the 
srvice — load, sight, and fire the captured piece, and each time with the most fear- 
il effect upon the enemy. As at first, he leaped upon the gun to see what hia 
lot had effected; but by this time he had attracted the notice of a Mississippi 
larpshooter, who instantly leveled his deadly rifle upon the brave fellow.- The 
3Xt moment Durand was seen to stagger and fall, and it was supposed that he 
as killed. IJut he was not to be so easily '^put out of the ring," as he after- 
ard remarked to his surgeon. At the instant that the rebel sluirpshooter had 
illed his trigger, Durand partially turned himself, and steadying himself upon 
le rammer of the piece, he was just in the act of lea|iing down to load again, 
he well-directed rifle-ball struck the rammer, and, splintering it, then passed 
ito Durands left shoulder, just below tlie clavicle or shoulder bone, and lodged 
little above the inferior edge of the scapula or blade bone. He found that he 
)uld not use his arm, and therefore could not reload the Gpounder. Determined, 
owever, to continue the battle, he made his way down to the bridge, which was 
3W more than half consumed, and seizing an ax from the hands of a dying 
ioneer, pressed forward with his brave comrades to assist in staying the progress 
F the flames. As he jostled forward his shoulder gave him dreadful pain; but, 
ke a true hero, he pushed on until a piece of shell, fired from our own artillery', 
id falling short of its mark, wounded his remaining arm severely. Then seeing 
lat he was no longer of any service, but rather a hindrance, he commenced his 
jtreat. After getting clear of the masses of soldiers who were immediately by 
le bridge, he was met by an officer who halted him and asked why he was flying. 
Flying, sir," he replied, with pardonable vehemence, "flying! Why it is as 
luch as 1 can do to creep along, let alone fly ! See this hole through my shoul- 
er and this shell mark in my other arm ?" The blood was flowing rapidly from 
is arm, and he must soon have fallen from weakness had not the officer, appre- 
iating the bravery of the noble fellow, dismounted and bound up the wounded 
mb with his own hands. He then gave him directions how to reach the hospi- 
il and promised to have him promoted for his gallantry. His bravery was fully 
ppreciated; for, on hearing his narrative, and learning also that he had served 
m years in the old regular armj'', his commander had him commissioned a second- 
eutenant of artillery. 

And if anj'thing were yet wanting, to ilhtstrate the spirit of Iowa 
oldiers, we have it in the following striking instance of "the ruling 
lassion." 

It was immediately after the battle of the Hatchie. The dead in that terrible 
onflict had been laid beneath the mold, while the wounded had been brought to 
he church-building or placed in the spacious apartments of wealthy disloyalists 
f Bolivar. Among the number of unfortunates was William C Nowlon, a ser- 
:eant of Company G, of the 3d Iowa infantry. His leg had been so badlv shat- 
ered and torn by a musket-shot as to render amputation unavoidable. He was 
nformed of such a necessity, but not a murmur or word of complaint escaped hia 
ips, nor did the intelligence seem to cast over his face the least perceptible shade 



IN IOWA. 207 

of seriousness. The table was prepared-the instruments were placed conve- 
niently, and everythini; put in readiness for the operation. He was brou>^ht out 
upon the verandah and placed upon the table— his poor, shattered, torn and half 
fleshless leg dangling around as if only an extraneous and senseless appendao-e 
There was no sighing, no flinching, no drawing back or holding in. ° * 

There was not a simple feeling of dumb resignation, nor yet of brute indiffer- 
ence, but of svldierly submission— a heroic submission, without a question or a 
sigh, lie indulged freely in conversation respecting the operation, until the 
chloroform was applied. From the waking and rational state' he glided into the 
anjcsthetic without the convulsive motion of a single muscle and without the 
utterance of a single incoherent sentence; but glided into it as the innocent 
and weary child glides into the sweet embrace of a healthy and restoring sleep. 
The operation was performed; the arteries all ligatured; the stump cleansed; 
and the last suture just in that instant applied. During the entire operation he 
had scarcely moved a muscle. 

Just at this time, the large body of prisoners taken in the engagement were 
marched up the street, and were nearing the house where the maimed and bleed- 
ing soldier lay. The streets were all thronged by soldiery, and hundreds of them 
rushed to get a near sight of the vanquished, while they rent the heavens with 
their loud huzzas. A full regiment preceded the column of prisoners; and when 
just opposite, the Hand struck up, in force, the inspiring air oi ^' Hail Culumbia." 
In a moment — upon the very instant, the color mounted to his face. He opened 
his eyes half wonderingly, and raised his head from the pillow with the steadiness 
and diginity of a god. The scenes of the conflict cauie back to him, and he 
thouglit that his noble regiment was again breasting toward the enemy through a 
shower of shot and shell. His brave comrades, he deemed, were falling one by 
one around him, just as they had done in that dreadful hour of fratricide and car- 
nage. The spirit of the time came over him, and his features assumed an air of 
bold, fierce, fiery, and unyielding determination; and he broke forth into excla- 
mations the most terrible and appalling I had ever listened to in all ray life. 

"Louder with the music ! louder! louder!! louder!!! Burst the heavens with 
your strains! Sweeter! softer! sweeter! charm the blessed angels from the 
very courts of heaven! Victory! Victory!! Onward ! onward ! ! Noflagijing! 
no flinching! no faltering! Fill up! till up!! Step forward ! press forward 1 
Your couu-rrdes graves ! The fresh graves of your slain ! Remember the graves 
of your comrades! Blue iMills! Blue Mills!! Shelbina! iShelbina!! Hager 
Wood 1 Hager Wood ! ! .Shiloah ! IShiloah ! ! Shiloah ! ! ! For God's sake, onward 1 
Onward, in heaven's name! Onward! onward!! onward!!! See the -devila 
vraver! See them run! See! see!! see them fly !!!— fly ! fiy'-!" 

Durin<' this outburst of passion his countenance kindled and became purple, 
till his look seemed that of diabolism. Such a fury marked his lineaments that 
I instinctivelv drew back. But there was "method in his madness. He only 
erred in mistaking time and in misplacing himself and his position; facts which 
the martial music and the "pomp and circumstance of war in the public 
streets would have a natural tendency toward producing. 

In the verv middle of his fury he seemed suddenly to comprehend his mistake 
He ceased abruptly, his whole frame in a tremor of emotion. He looked around 
upon the faces present, and without a word, quietly laid down his head. He grew 
meditative as he seemed to realize a full sense of his ""^^PPy, ^l^"f, '"" ,„^,' 
length his eyes gradually filled with tears and h.s lips grew «''^' ^ ^'^J "^^"^^ 
Ue'quiollv /emarked, " Well. boys, good bye; 1 ^^ould do but son-y hgl^^^^^^ 
a wooden"'leg." He again relaused into silence, and was shortly alterwaid car- 
ried away to his room. 

Gay follows were they too, iu camp and on the march, as the follow- 
ing sung testifies : 



rtQo TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

GAY AND HAPPY. 

AS COMPOSED AND SUNG BY THE BOYS OF THE SIXTH IOWA VOLnNTRKBS. 

w. 
We 're the boys most gay and happy, 

The' we're tented in the field; 
With our nation's banner o er us, 
And its honor for a Hhield. 

<Jhorus — Then let the cannon boom as they will, 
We'll be gay and happy still; 
Gay and liappy, j;ay and happy — 
We'll bo gay and happy stilL 

Friends at home, be gay and happy, 

Never blush to speak our names; 
If our comrades fall in battle, 

They shall share a soldier's fame. 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

Colonel Corse is gay and happy — 

Holds his post with his command; 
Seldom has a soldier's honor 

Ever graced a better man. 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

We're the gay and happy Hawkeyes, 

From the State of Iowa; 
Ready, when our colonel leads us, 

For the thickest of the fray. 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

Rebels are not gay and happy ; 

For their "scrip'' they can not eat — 
Some like birds we keep in cages. 

Dining on "hard tack" and meat 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

Girls at home, be gay and happy. 

Show that you have woman s pride, 
Never wed a home-sick coward — 

Wait and be a soldier's bride. 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

Gay and happy, hear the answer, 

None but fools get married now. 
Valiant men have all enlisted, 

And to cowards we '11 not bow. 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

We're the sirls so gay and happy, 

Waiting for the end of strife* 
Better share a soldier's rations 

Than to be a coward's wife. 
Chorus — Then let, etc. 

For the gay and for the happy. 

We're as constant as the dove; 
But the man who dare not soldier 
Never can obtain our love. 

Chorus — Then let the cowards prate as they will. 
We '11 be gay and happy still ; 
Gay and happy, gay and happy — 
We '11 be gay and happy still. 



IN IOWA. 209 

It is in place here to give the famous army song which Sherman's 
veterans chanted on their victorious march. It was written by Adju- 
tant Byers of the 5th Iowa, while confined in the rebel prison at Co 
lumbia, South Carolina, and being set to music was fi-equently suno- 
by the captives, as a relief to the monotony of their prison life. After 
Wilmington was '.akcn, it was sung in the theater, producing immense 
enthusiasm : 

THE MARCHIXO SONG OF SHERMAN's ARMY ON THEIR WAT TO THE SEA. 

Our camp fires shone brififht on the mountains 

That frowned on the river below, 
While we stood by our guns in the morning 

And eagerly watched for the foe — 
When a rider came out from the darkness 

That hung over mountain and tree, 
And shouted, " Boys, up and be ready, 

For Sherman will march for the sea." 

When cheer upon cheer for bold Sherman 

Went up from each valley and glen, 
And the bugles re-echoed the music 

That came from the lips of the men. 
For we knew that the stars in our banner 

More bright in their splendor would be. 
And that blessings from Nortliland would greet ua, 

When Sherman marched down to the sea. 

Then foward, boys, forward to battle. 

We marched on our wearisome way 
And we stormed the wild hills of Resaca — 

God bless those who fell on that day. 
Then Kenesaw frowned in its glory, 

Frowned down on the flag of the free. 
But the East and the West bore our standards, 

And Sherman marched on to the sea. 

Still onward we pressed, till our banners 

Swept out from Atlanta's grim walls, 
And the blood of the patriot dampened 

The soil where the traitor flag falls. 
But we paused not to weep for the fallen, 

Who slept by each river and tree, 
Yet we twined them a wreath of the laurel, 

As Sherman marched down to the sea. 

O, proud was our army that morning, 

That stood where the pine darkly towers. 
When Sherman said : " Boys, you are weary 

But to-day fair Savannah is ours." 
Then sang we a song for our chieftain, 

That echoed o'er river and lea, 
And the stars in our banners shone brighter 

When Sherman marched down to the sea. 

These bold singers ceased not their march when they reached the 

sea, but swept oS as conquerors through Carohna; aud Iowa boys 

in the advance were the first to raise t^^V^'^T? wTvp TowTn 

ital of the state, Columbia, where not long before a captive lowan 



:io 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION IN IOWA. 



enned Sherman's march to the sea. Well may "vve saj', as docs an 
owa editor : 

Hurrah for Iowa!— Colonel Kennedy of the 13th Iowa, Lieutenant Mc Arthur, 
nd Lieutenant W. H. Goodrell of the "loth Iowa, supported by about fifty men, 
instituted the advance guard which captured Columbia, ISouth Carolina. The 
juad crossed the river in a small boat, and advanced on the city. The boys ran 
ito a company of Wheeler's cavalry and received the benefit of several shots 
hich did no damage. The colors of the 13th Iowa were flying over the old jrnd 
ew state houses before the 15th corps came up. The city surrendered to Gene- 
il llazen. 

A few weeks later, another " Hurra for Iowa " might have been given, 
)pped with "a tiger," and a motion to "adjourn " for it was then 
lat in the fall of Mobile, the 8th Iowa signalized, itself by leading in 
the forlorn hope," in a gallant, successful and desperate charge 
gainst Fort Blakely. It was on this occasion that Lieutenant Vine- 
ard, leading company G, fell desperately wounded. Some of his men 
alted a moment where he lay : ''Pay no attention to me, boys," he cried, 
move on I " and the rebels lound they did. 



THE TIMES 

OP 

THE REBELLIOlSr 

IN 

MISSOURI. 



At the oiifbreak of the Eebellion the governors of all the border 
slave-states were secessionists with the single exception of Maryland. 
Some of them, it is true, professed "neutrality;" but subsequent 
events proved them to have been rebels in disguise, and' therefore 
especially despicable for uniting hypocrisy to their treason. Prom- 
inent aniong these was Claiborne F. Jackson of Missouri, whose atro- 
cious polic}-' brought upon his state untold miseries. The result of 
the pi-esidential campaign was no sooner known than he and his 
accomplices in crime began their attempt to take the state out of 
the union What rendered this conduct the more nefarious was the 
knowledge, on the part of Jackson, that the majority of the peo- 
ple were opposed to uniting their fortunes with the Southern confed- 
eracy. In a letter to Judge Walker he says, " I have been, from the 
beo-innino- in favor of prompt action on the part of the Southern 
States, but the majority of the people have differed from me And 
yet, with this knowledge, he plunged his state into the whirlpool of 

treason and blood. . ^^^ „^„ 

In January, 18G1, the state legislature passed an act calling a con- 
vention, and providing for the election of delegates. Contrary to the 
expectation of the leaders, who had used every ai-t to carry out their 
desie-ns the convention proved to be a loyal body. 
''Smined not to be failed, the rebel leaders began to raise^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
which were placed under the control of the governor Prepaiations 
we also m£le to seize the arsemds and all f l}-" 1^^ ^ l^Xeit nte 
fore the new president should be inaugurated In all these movements 
lore tne new Pi^^'^^'-^ . ■ -^ ^^ gyen entered into cor- 

the governor was the most acii\c hpuiu_. ,+^+^a „i-,,i niodo-ed 

respondcnce with the secession leaders in other states, and pledged 
Missouri to the cause upon ^^hich they had entered^ denounced by 
When the president called for troops, his act was d^nounceci j^y 
Jackson in tel-ms violent and abusive; 7^, ;^. ^f "hi stateTfw^^^ 
together in order to obtain the means of placing the state on 

'^The'action of this body was not waited for, and on ^the 20th of 
13 



c,-|2 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

April the enemies of the government seized upon the arsenal at Lib- 
erty, near the state line, and laid their plans for obtaining the posses- 
sion of a miich more important one located at St. Louis. In this, 
however, they were foiled by the activity and eneruy of Capt. Stokes, 
of the United States army, who succeeded in removing an immense 
amount of the material of war into the State of Illinois, which doubt- 
less would soon have fallen into the hands of the secessionists and 
greatly aided their cause. 

Capture of Camp Jackson. — Early in M<ay, Governor Jackson ordered out the 
militia of the state to go into camps in their several districts, ostensibly to obtain 
instruction in military drill, but in reality to precipitate the state into secession. 
The legislature, at the same period, passed what was termed the " Military Bill," 
which was, in the language of General Harney, "an indirect secession ordinance, 
ignoring even the forms resorted to by other states." This bill gave the governor 
despotic power; three million of dollars were to be placed in iiis hands; author- 
ity was given him to draw for soldiers as long as there was a man left unarmed, 
and to question the justness of his conduct was to incur the death penalty. Every 
soldier was required to take an oath of allegiance to the State of Missouri. 

At Linden's grove, in the outskirts of St. Louis, a camp was formed, called 
Camp Jackson. The principal avenues Avcre named Beauregard, Davis, etc., and 
a quantity of arms, shot, and shell, stolen from the U. S. arsenal at Baton Rouge, 
was received there, which had come up the river in boxes marked "Marble,'' 
" Nails," and " Collin's Axes." A secession flag was displayed; the troops were 
constantly cheering for Jeff. Davis and the Southern Confederacy; prominent 
union men visiting the camp were insulted and hailed as federal spies. It was a 
secession camp and nothing else. In all it contained about lOUO men, under Gen- 
eral D. M. Frost. 

On the 6th of May the police commissioners of St. Louis insolently demanded 
of Captain Nathaniel Lyon, the officer in command of the arsenal, that he should 
remove the United States troops from all places and buildings occupied by them 
outside of the arsenal, on the ground that the United States government had no 
right to occupy or touch the soil of the sovereign State of Missouri. 

Captain Lyon, on his own responsibility, on the 10th summoned the home guard 
of the city (composed largely of Germans,) whom he had provided with arms at 
the arsenal, to assemble at their different posts, at noon, for an unknown service. 
At two o'clock the whole town was greatly agitated by the tidings that some 7000 
men, with 20 pieces of artillery, under Captain Lyon, were inarching up Market 
street for Camp Jackson. On their arrival they rapidly surrounded it, plantin" 
batteries upon all the commanding bights. 

Upon learning of their approach. General Frost sent a note to Captain Lyon, 
disowning any disloyal intentions on their part ; that they had simply gathered in 
obedience to the laws of the state for instruction. Captain Lyon refused to re- 
ceive this communication, and dispatched one to General Frost demanding his 
unconditional surrender within "one half hour's time.'' The demand was agreed 
to, and they, to the number of 800, were made prisoners of war, marched to the 
arsenal, and, for the time, lield there under guard, excepting those who were will- 
ing to take the oath of allegiance: of these there were less than a dozen. On the 
return of the troops to the city, they were not only taunted and spit upon by the 
mob, but revolvers were discharged at them, when the former turned and fired 
into the crowd, wounding and killing twenty-two persons, mostly innocent spec- 
tators. 

The energetic measures of Captain Lyon for the time awed the secession spirit 
of the city and vicinity; and he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general of 
volunteers and given command of the union forces in ^Missouri. 

Skirmish at Booneville. — Union men, of all parties throughout the state, at this 
period began to be proscribed and driven from their homes. Governor Jackson, 
who, with General Sterling Price, had assembled a large force of State troops, at 
the capital, Jefferson City, learned that General Lyon was on his way to attack 



IN MISSOURI. 213 

him, on tha 15th of June fled with his forces to Boonville, forty miles above, burn- 
ing, as thoy went, the railroad bridges on the route. Thither * General Lyon, 
v;ith 2000 men, pursued and defeated them in a slight skirmish, in which they 
broke ranks and in^loriously fled. Lyon took their camp equipage and a laro-e 
number of prisoners, many of whom being of immature age, "misguided youths, 
led astray by ingeniously devised frauds of designing leaders," lie liberated on 
condition that they should not serve against the United States. " Ijut le.st, as in. 
the affair of Camp Jackson, this clemency should be misconstrued, he gave warn- 
ing that the government would not always be expected to indulge in it to the com- 
promise of its evident welfare." 

Action near Carthage. — In the beginning of July General Lyon left Boonville 
in pursuit of the enemy in the south-western portion of the state. On the 5th 
Colonel Franz Sigel had a brilliant fight with the enemy in the vicinity of Car- 
thage, he having been sent into that section of country just after the affair at 
Booneville. iSigel's troops consisted of 1200 men, being parts of the two infantry 
regiments of 8igel and Solomon, and two batteries of artillery. The rebels, under 
Generals Parsons and Rains, numbered 5000 men, including two regiments of 
cavalry any five pieces of artillery. Early in the morning Sigel marched from 
his camp just south-east of Carthage, and nine miles north of that place found 
the enemy, at half past nine o'clock, drawn up in line of battle, on elevated 
ground of a prairie, just beyond Dry Run Creek. By most skillful maneuver- 
ing Sigel defeated them and continued his retreat with but insignificant loss — 
the enemy sufi'ering severely. 

Early in July General Fremont was apiDointed to the command of 
the Western Department, and made his headquarters at St. Louis. 
His arrival was at the season of gloom and despondency consequent 
upon the defeat at Manassas. Of the new levies of federal troops few 
were in the Held : the term of enlistment of the three-months' men 
was just expirino-, while 50,000 rebel soldiers were on the southern 
frontier. General Pope was in north Missouri with nearly all the dis- 
posable force, and Lyon was at Springfield with an army of less than 
6000 men, threatened by an enemy nearly four times his own number. 
There was danger, also, on the Mississippi river, where General Pil- 
low, from New Madrid, was threatening General Prentiss and his small 
force, at Cairo. Unable 'to reinforce General Lyon, that gallant officer 
made the best possible use of the small force at his disposal. On the 
1st of August, learning that the enemy, under McCulloch and Price 
were advancing upon him, he went out to meet them, and the next 
day had a severe skirmish at Dug Spring, the enemy suffering from a 
very successful charge of the United States cavalry. This was fol- 
lowid by a general engagement, on the 10th of the same month, m 
which Lyon lost his life in a noble but unequal struggle. 

Batne of Wilson's Oreek.-^The rebels, under Ben McCulloch were from 2(^000 
to 25,000 in nun>ber, the union forces under Lyon less ^^an 600a 1 he umon 
gene al, having learned that the enemy was meditating an a tack^ determmed to 
become the attacking party, as that plan promised the ^^'f^^ « ^^-i^^^i^^^^ 
ing, on Friday evening August 9th, General Lyon set « '^^f ""^ .^Pj^-^H J ntVle 
the' intention'of falling upon the e-™/ ."-XTn'Snder'hl ^wn command! 
St^jl^S, ;:;;r cSS^if ^: i^^ - -- - -emy at a 

-^ytuiHitoi^rSn^^-it^^ 

ern lines, and who wrote from h s «;- k-wle^dg -d [-- -^--^,j, McCul- 
from those who took a part m th«,«7,7J;;^/'his?rmv, outnumbering the enemy 
loch's reputation as a wary an<l watchful chiet nis ar ^y^ n ^^ 

three or four to one, was completely surprised. Indeed, so siienc w 



]\4. TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

) perfect the plan of attack, that the first notice they had of the enemy's pres- 
nce was the shot and shell from the Initteries of Totten and Sige! falling into the 
3ry heart of their camp. 'J'he federal accounts claim that success would nut have 
een doubtful had the gallant Lyon lived half an hour longer. ]5uttlie panic that 
cevailed among the rebels, and how very nearly the field was lost, could only be 
)ld by those whose reports have never seen the light. I have heard person.>i who 
ere upon the field say that, many were still asleep, many preparing breakfast, and 
;hers eating, when the enemy s artillery opened upon them. Nlany fled at the first 
arm; but a large army still remained. The contest was long and doubtful, till 
yon, bravely leading a charge in person, fell. The union forces then witlidrow, 
nder tlie command of Major tf. D. titurgis. The movement of Sigel, in the end. 
roved unsuccessful. He was compelled to retire with the loss of nearly all his 
•tillery." 

The ofTicial report of our loss was 1235. The 1st Kansas and 1st Missouri, each 
st about half of their entire number. The rebels reported their loss at 1738. 
turgis, in his report, thought it " probably would reach 30UU." 

The result of the battle made it necessary for the remnant of 
yon's army to retreat, which was effected in good order, under Sigel, 
pen whom the command now devolved. Hundreds of citizens ac- 
)mpanied the army; and south-western Missouri was overrun and 
3vastated by the rebels. 

7Vie Siege of Lexington — On "Wednesday the 11th of September, a force of 
>40 union soldiers were in Lexington, under the command of Colonel Jas. B. 
ulligan, (a young lawyer of Chicago, of Irish parentage), when the advance of 
e enemy approached the town, which in a few days was increased to 30,000 
en, under General Sterling Price. In the mean while our troops had built en- 
enchments around their camp, inclosing some fifteen acres, including witbin its 
nits the college buildings. Price invested the works on the ll2th, but no direct 
sault was made until the 18th. The little hand heroically held his large army at 
ly; but all access to the river being cut off they suffered intensely for water, and 
was not until their provisions were exhausted and nearly the last cartridge 
ed that they surrendered. 

General Price obtained considerable eclat by a stratagem he used in approach- 
g the union lines. He made a movable breastwork of hempen bales of some 
■enty rods in length, behind the cover of which his men, as they rolled them 
lead, advanced in security close up to the union works. He was not a rebel at 
lart: but he had, against his better nature, been seduced into treason. After 
e surrender he chided one of his men for indignities offered to the union flag, 
3sing his rebuke with the expression, '' 1 yet love that flag.' 
Price was endeared to the people of Missouri by generous and noble personal 
xits; and, when he sided with the rebel cause, these qualities, by their indu- 
cing others into error, were productive of greater evil than could have been in 
e power of any mere villain with superior intellectual force to have inflicted. 
Battle of Belmont. — Belmont is a point on the Mississippi river, 
iarly opposite Columbus, Ky. It is about twenty miles below Cairo, 
id was the scene of one General Grant's first battles. His whole 
rce in this battle, which took place on the 7th of November, 1861, 
as 2850. He lost 507 men ; the rebels 966, beside their entire en- 
impment with valuable stores. The following account is given by 
le present. 

Landing two and half miles above Belmont, it was two hours before we had 
sposed our men in line of battle to engage the enemy; thus giving th'>m full 
me for preparation, and to come out and meet us, when the engagement soon be- 
ime general. Although the enemy were two to our one we never faltered, but 
■ove them from one stronghold to another, until we were told to charge the bat- 
ries. The enthusiasm of our men, on receiving this order, beggars description; 
ime threw off their coats, all whooped and yelled, and each man went to work as 



IN MISSOURI. 2"»5 

though the t:ikin_i^ of the butteries depended on his own exertions; they leaped 
like cats, from lo<; to Iptj, and from brush to brush, sometimes running, sometimes 
crawling, never wavering until they had taken the enemy's last gun. Our boys 
drove tliem through their encampment, and down the river bank, taking their 
tents, stores, and baggage. 

Our men and oflicers were so elated with thedr victory, that they went round sha- 
king hands and congratulating one another on the result, and General Grant's 
order to fall into line and retire to their transports was not executed as rapidly as 
it should have been, and some half an hour was consumed in these manifestations, 
until the enemy had outflanked us, by lauding the rebel general, Cheatham's bri- 
gade — fresh troops from Columbus — between us and our transports. This move- 
ment was concealed from us by the bend of the river, ^'o alternative was left 
but to fight it out, and cut our way through the serried columns. The order to 
inarch was given, and, although our troops had had six hours of hard fighting 
they did not appear weary, but attacked the enemy with renewed vigor and drove 
him back, and cut their way through his ranks to our transports. Beaten again, 
the enemy planted their new, fresh artillery, supported by infantry, in a cornfield 
just above our transports, with the intention of sinking them, when we started 
up the river, and of bagging the entire army; but thanks to the gunboats, Lex- 
ino'ton and Tyler, and their experienced gunners, they saved us from a terrible 
and certain doom; they took up a position between us and the enemy, and opened 
their guns upon tliem, letting slip a whole broadside at once. This movement 
was perfurmed so quick that the rebel guns wej^e silenced as soon as they opened. 
The first shot from the gunboats was a cannister-shot, and it made a perfect lane 
through the enemy's ranks. Defeated in this— their third movement— the enemy's 
infanfry broke for our transports, and as Ave pushed from shore they fired upon 
us until we got out of range, their bullets coming on our transports "like hail 
upon a meeting house," but they did but little execution. 

Price, after the fall of Lexington, finding himself unable to hold it, 
retreated to the south-west, with Fremont in pursuit. Many inci- 
dents of interest took place, which have become obscure in conse- 
quence of the more brilliant occurrences of a war abounding in splen- 
did exploits. But the famous charge of Fremont's body-guard at 
Springfield, on the 25th of October, 1861, remains memorable, it is 
thrillingly described by a writer in the Atlantic Monthly : 

Among the foreign officers whom the famous General Fremont drew around 
him wa.^ Charles Zagonyi-a Hungarian refugee, but long a 'f'^^'^lf^ 
country. In bis bovirood, Zagonyi had plunged into the passionate, but unavail- 
ing struggle which Hungary made for her liberty. ,, • ■, ^-^ .„ rppruit a 

GenerTl Fremont welcomed Zagonyi cordially, ^"d. ^authorized h m to rec m^ a 
company of horse, to act as his body-guard. Zagonyi ^^^ and n'^ai th per- 
sekition; but .so ardent was the desire to serve under the eye and ne^^^^^ 
son of th^ general, that in five days after the lists were opened two f'^J^^"^^^^^^^. 
were enlist^ed. 8oon after a whole company composed of /he very flower ot Ken 
tucky, tendered its services, and i-eq"ested to be added to the guaid^^^^^ 
was' till overwhelmed with applications, '^"^ ^e ob a.ned pe,m^ 
cruit a fourth company. The fourth company, howevei did no wU^ ^^^^^ 
the field. The men were clad in blue f ^^^f ^«'/, «7,'^^'' ,^,"„,d b? procured, and 
armed with liuht German sabers, the best that ^^/j^^J^^er They were mounted 
revolvers ; besides which, the first company '^''^"^^ f J" ^^^^^^^^^ had but 

upon bay horses, carefully chosen f[«f .^^^^f^J^^J^lS from the c^nmence- 
liUle time to instruct his recruits; ^^ ,;"Jj;*:5.d\rcipl ined and most efficient 
mentof the enlistment the body-guard ^^ as a well Ohscit Hollander, 

corps of cavalry. The ofScers were .^liAmj'C^ans except hiee o ^^ ^^^ ^^^.^^^ 
and two Hun-arians, Zagonyi and Lieutenant Maythen^i, 
States during his boyhood. ^ woodland in which he knew 

On the prairie, near the town, at the/dge "^^ ^j .,ed along the 

his wily be lay hidden, Zagonyi halted his commana. f 



216 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

line. With eager glance he scanned each horse and rider. To his ofBcers he , 
the simple order, " Follow me ! do as I do ! " and then drawing up in fi-ont oi 
men, with a voice tremulous and shrill with emotion, he spoke : 

" Fellow-Soldiers, Comrades, Ekothers ! — This is your first battle. For our three 
dr.ed the enemy are two thousand. If any of you are sick, or tired by (he long luarc 
if any think the number is to great, now is the time to turn back." lie ))aused ; n( 
was sick or tired. " We must not retreat. Our honor and the honor of our general 
our country, tell us to go on. I will lead you. We have been called holiday soldieri 
the pavements of St. Louis; to-day we will show that we are soldiers for the bi 
Your watchword shall be, ' The Union and Fremunll' Draw saber I By the right fla 
quick trot — march 1 " 

Bright swords flashed in the sunshine, a passionate shout burst from every 
and, with one accord, the trot passing into a gallop, the compact column swep 
to its deadly purpose. iMost of them were boys. A few weeks before they 
left their homes. Those who were cool enough to note it say that ruddy ch 
grew pale, and fiery eyes were dimmed with tears. Who shall tell what thouj 
■what visions of peaceful cottages nestling among the groves of Kentucky or 
ning upon the banks of the Ohio and the Illinois, what sad recollections of tec 
farewells, of tender, loving faces, tilled their minds during these feari'ul mom 
of suspense? No word was spoken. With lips compressed, firmly clenching t 
sword-hilts, with quick tramp of hoofs and clank of steel, honor leading and g 
awaiting them, the young soldiers flew forward, each brave rider and each sti 
ing steed of one huge creature, enormous, terrible, irresistible. 
" 'T were worth ten years of peaceful life. 
One glance at their array." 

They pass the fair ground. They are at the corner of the lane where the ^,^ 
begins. It runs close to the fence on their left for a hundred yards, and bey 
it they see white tents gleaming. They are half way past the forest, when, si 
and loud, a volley of musketry bursts upon the head of the column; horses 5 
ger, riders reel and fall, but the troop presses forward undismayed. The far 
corner of the road is reached, and Zagonyi beholds the terrible array. Ama 
he involuntarily checks his horse. The rebels are not surprised. There, to 
left, they stood crowning the bight, foot and horse, ready to ingulf him. i' 
should be rash enough to go on. The road he is following declines rapidly. Tl 
is but one thing to do — run the gauntlet, gain the cover of the hill, and charge 
the steep. These thoughts pass quicker then they can be told. He waves hi; 
ber over his head, and shouting, " Forward ! follow me ! quick trot! gallop! ' 
dashes headlong down the stony road. The iirst company and most of the sec 
follow. From the left a thousand muzzles belch forth a hissing flood of bull 
the poor fellows clutch wildly at the air and fall from their saddles, and inadde 
horses throw themselves against the fences. Their speed is not for an insi 
checked; farther down the hill they fly, like wasps driven by the leaden sto 
Sharp volleys pour out of the underbrush at the left, clearing wide gaps thro 
their ranks. They leap the brook, take down the fence, and draw up under 
shelter of the hill. Zagonyi looked around him, and to his horror sees that c 
a fourth of his men are with him. He, cries, "They do not come — we are los 
and frantically waves his saber. 

He had not long to wait. The delay of the rest of the guard was not from 1 
itation. When Captain Foley reached the lower corner of the wood, and saw 
enemy's line, he thought a flank attack might be advantageously made. He 
dered some of his men to dismount and take down the fence. This was d 
under a severe fire. Heveral men fell, and he found the wood so dense tha 
could not be penetrated. Looking down the hill, he saw the flash of Zagon 
saber, and at once gave the order, "Forward! " At the same time, Lieuten 
Kennedy, a stalwart Kentuckian, shouted, "Come on, boys! remember old K 
tucky ! " and the third company of the guard, fire on every side of them — from 
hind trees, from under the fences — with thundering strides and loud che 
poured down the slope and rushed to the side of Zagonyi. They have lost i 
enty dead and wounded men, and the carcases of horses are strewn along the hi 
Kennedy is wounded in the arm, aud lies upon the stones, his faithful char 



'/ 



IN MISSOURI. 



217 



Lieutenant Goif received a wound in the thio-h; 
" The devils have hit me, but I will give it to 



;: motionless beside him. 

his seat, and cried out, 
t! " 

:uard is formed under the shelter of the hill. In front, with a gentle in- 
1, rises a grassy slope broken by occasional tree stumps. A line of fire 
e summit marks the position of the rebel infantry, and nearer and on the 
lower eminence to the right stand their horse. IJp to this time no guards- 
i struck a blow, but blue coats and bay horses lie thick along theljloody 
'heir time has come. Lieutenant Maythenyi, with thirty men, is ordered 
c the cavalry. With sabers flashing over their heads, the little band of 
pring toward their tremendous foe. Right upon the center they charge, 
ise mass opens, the blue coats force their way in, and the whole rebel 
a scatter in disgraceful flight through the cornfields in the rear. The bays 
hem, sabering the fugitives. Days after, the enemy's horses lay thick 
he uncut corn, 
lyi holds his main body until Maythenyi disappears in the cloud of rebel 

then his voice rises through the air — "In open order — charge!" The 
ns out to give play to the sword-arm. Steeds respond to the ardor of their 
nd, quick as thought, with thrilling cheers, the noble hearts rush into the 
orrent which pours down the incline. With unabated fire the gallant fel- 
ss through, 'i'heir fierce onset is not even checked. The foe do not wait 
. — they waver, break, and fly. The guardsmen press into the midst of 
, and their fast falling swords work a terrible revenge. Some of the bold- 
le southrons retreat into the woods, and continue a murderous tire from 
trees and thickets. Seven guard horses fall on a space not more than 
eet square. As his steed sinks under him, one of the officers is caught 
;he shouMers by a grape-vine, and hangs dangling in the air until he is 
1 by his friends. 

3bel foot are flying in furious haste from the field. Some take refuge in 
2;round, some hurry into the cornfield, but the greater part run along the 
the wood, swarm over the fence into the road, and hasten to the village. 
.rdsmen follow. Zagonyi leads them. Over the huidest roar of battle 
5 clarion voice—" Come on, old Kentuck ! I'm with you ! " And the flash 
vord-blade tells his men where to go. As he approaches a barn a man 
m behind the door and lowers his rifle; but before he had reached the 
gonyis saber-point descended upon his head, and his life-blood leaps to 

top of the huge barn-door. 

mflict now rages through the village— in the public square and along the 
Up and down the suard ride in squads of three or four, and, wherever 

a group of the enemy, charge upon and scatter them. It is hand to hand. 
Dut has a share in the fray. 

was at least one soldier in the southern ranks. A young officer, superbly 
, char-ed alone upon a large body of the guard. He passed through the 
oathed: killing one man. ^He wheels, charges back, and again breaks 

killincr another man. A third time he rushes upon the union line, a 

saber-points confront him, but he pushes on until he reaches Zagonyi- 
es his pistol so close to the major's side that he feels ^^ ^nd draws convul- 
.ck, th^ bullet passes through the front_of ?agom's^c<,^t, whc^^aUhe^sa^^^^^ 
■uns the darin 
nmande 
vas a br 

vhile it has .rown dark. The foe has left the village and tbe battle has 
The assembly is sounded, and the guard ga hers >" f Pj^^ ^, ^^^ A? 
hty mounted men appear; the rest are ^'11^,^ ^vounded or unho^^ At 

> one of the most characteristic incidents f t'^^^.'^ff^^'^^^^f P;-;'^^^ to 

)eforc the charge, Za<roni directed one of his buglers, a ^f °™°' ;"; 
si' nri. The bu.ier did not seem to pay any attention « the^ u^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
fter Lieutenant Maythenyi. A few moments afterward he was b.e^ved 
er part of the field busUy pursuing the flying infantry. His active loim 



rebel through the body; he falls, and the men, thinking 
r liurt,'kill him with a half dozen wounds, 
uve mkn," said Zagonyi afterward, "and I did wish to make h.m 



1 



218 



TIMES OP THE REBELLION 



ras always seen in the thickest of the fight. AVlien the lino was lormcd in the 
laza, Ziigonyi noticed tlie bugler, and iijiproacliing liim said, " In tlio midst of 
le battle you disobeyed my order. You are unworthy to be a member of the 
uard. I dismiss you." The bugler showed liis bugle to his indignant com- 
lander — the mouth-piece of the instrument Mas shot away. He said, "The 
louth was shoot off. 1 could not bugle viz mon bugle, and so 1 bugle viz mon pis- 
)1 and saber." It is unnecessary to add tlie brave Frenchman was not dismissed. 

J must not forget to mention iSergeant Hunter of the Kentucky coujpan}'. His 
)ldierly figure never failed to attract tbe eye in the ranks cd' the guard. He had 
;rved in the regular cavalry; and the bodyguard had profited grealiy from hie 
vill as a drill-master. He lost three horses in the fight. As sotm as one was 
illed he caught another from the rebels: the third horse taken in this way he 
)de into St. Louis. 

The sergeant slew five men. "1 won't speak of those that I shot," said he, 
another may have hit them; but these 1 touched with my saber 1 am sure of, be- 
luse 1 felt them." 

At the beginning of the charge, he came to the extreme right and took position 
3xt to Zagonyi, whom he followed closely through the battle. The major, seeing 
im, said : 

" Why are you here, Sergeant Hunter? Your place is with your company on 
le left." 

"I kind o' wanted to be in the front," was the answer. 

"What could 1 say to such a man?" exclaimed Zagonyi, speaking of the mat- 
r afterward. 

There was hardly a horse or rider among the survivors that did not bring away 
ime murk of the fray. 1 saw one animal with no less than seven wounds — none 

them serious. Scabbards were bent, clothes and caps pierced, pistols injured, 
saw one pistol from which the sight had been cut as neatly as it could have been 
)ne by machinery. A piece of board a few inches long was cut from a fence on 
le field, in which there were thirty-one shot holes. 

It was now nine o'clock. The wounded had been carried to the hospital. The 
smounted troopers had been placed in charge of them — in the double capacity 

nurses and guards. Zagonyi expected the foe to return every minute. It 
:emed like madness to try and hold the town with his small force, exhausted by 
le long march and desperate fight. He therefore left SpringQeld, and retired, he- 
re morning, twenty-five miles on the Bolivar road. 

The loss of the enemy, was 11 G killed. The number of wounded could not be 
icertained. After the conflict had drifted away from the hill-side, some of the 
e had returned to the field, taken away their wounded and robbed our dead, 
he loss of the guard was 53 out of 148 actually engaged, 12 men having been left 
J Zagonyi in charge of his train. 

The fame of the guard is secure. Out from that fiery baptism they came chili- 
n of the nation ; and American song and story will carry their heroic triumph 
)wn to the latest generation. 

Fremont's campaign in south-western Missouri was arrested by an 
xler from the War Department, at the beginning of November, 
remont, at that time, was deprived of command in Missouri, and 
new campaign was prosecuted in the south-west, with signal ability 
id success, under General Curtis, who drove the confederate forces 
it of the state into Arkansas; and after Sterling Price had formed a 
anction with VanDorn and McCulloch, he defeated their combined 
>rces in the memorable battle of Pea Eidge, just on the south-west 
ne of the state. 

While Price's armj' was on its retreat they passed through Fayette- 
ille, just over the state line. This beautiful mountain-town was the 
lightest spot in all Arkansas. Several literary institutions, con- 
ucted by northern-born men, were blessing this entire region of 



IN MISSOURI. 9-,q 

country. Light, knowledge, and Christian love were spreading 
among the people, and a pure, moral tone diffused into the society of 
the place. William Baxter, president of one of these institutions, in 
his frank-hearted and artless little volume, "Pea Ridge and Prairie 
Grove,'' tells us how, on this retreat of Price, his men conducted them- 
selves, on their arrival at his town. 

I was somewhat familiar with the great retreats in history, but never before 
had T realized the full meaning of the term. Early in the morning of the 21st 
of Pebruixry, the ^lissouri army, which had been marching day anil night, con- 
stantly harassed by the enemy, made its appearance , the roads were bad, their 
clothing, their looks dispirited, no music to cheer them, no liright prospects be- 
fore — it was a practical picture of secession; and how sadly did the Missouri 
troops secede from their beloved state! thousands of them, alas, never to return! 
One of the officers, the judge advocate of Price's army, stopped a while at my 
house, and wept like a child at the thought of leaving home and country behind. 
There are many others, who complain bitterly because McCulloch had not come 
to their aid, to enable tliem to make a stand on their own soil against the foe now 
eagerly pressing upon their rear. 

The officers of the commissary and quartermaster's department, unable to re- 
move their stores, threw open the various depots to the soldiers and citizens; 
the permission thus granted was construed into a genei'al license to plunder, and 
pillage soon became the order of the day. An officer, fearing the effects of liquor 
upon a wearied, pursued, and reckless soldiery, took the precaution to burst in 
the heads of a number of barrels of whisky, which constituted a portion of the 
army stores, and the cellar was soon several inches deep with the precious fluid. 
By some means the place was discovered, and scores drank the filthy puddle which 
the spilled liquor had made. Private stores were broken open, and every one 
helped himself to whatever suited him; and as regiment after regiment poured 
in to swell the tide of waste and robbery, the scene became one of riot and unre- 
strained plunder. And vet, stransje to say, this was not in an enemy's country; 
these men claimed to be "the defenders of "the very people that they were despoil- 
ino'; and at that very moment the men of Arkansas were acting as rear-guard to 
th'rs very army, en.'ased, hundreds of them, as 1 have just stated. Passmg among 
them as I did while thus emploved, so general had the work ot destruction and 
plunder become, that it was almost impossible to find a single soldier who did not 
possess some evidence of being carried away by the spirit of the hour Here was 
one with a ciirar box half filled with sugar, another with a pair of lady s gaiters 
sticking out of his pocket; this had a pair of baby's shoes, that, some fane lace; 
artificial flowers adorned the caps of some; while jars of pickles, tin cups hill ot 
molasses, tape, calico, school-books, letters, law papers, sheets of tin-plate, in tact 
nearly every article known to traffic, even to a thermometer, might have been seen 
Tn th Jrnotl^y thron ' indeed, any one could see at a glance that the S-a er^par 
of them had taken articles for which they had no "f^^^'J^^^?^'^'"-,:-^; •,;!,'.![' 
threatened, cursed, called them thieves, made appeals to heir ^^f^^^^'^^l^^f^. 
pride, and to the fact that they were ^^^^^^I^^^IS^'^:::^ 
but all in vain; stealing iiad become a reel eation, ana t^^y wp^ faintlv to des- 
Price himself krove to check the disorder which 1 have attempted J^J ^ ^o ^^^ 
cribe, but for once his commands were V^^^^^^^^^f ^1^::^;, Te- 

The troops encamped, for the °'.^f\™;;^' ;,l,,r were General Kains, for 
mained in town. Among those that 1 best ^^'°^"',';' o ^„_ who shed tears 
once sober, and most gentlemanly in his -T^r^J^'^^'i-i^^e^^^ 
at being thus made "an -'1^^--/X^;,,g: "idSd^^ talked like 

SrwrLldi::r^r';^'J^^^d'I^"McCuIloch, meditating doubtless upon 
the dark deeds that the morrow would bring. , . , , .i,^ i.^.f ^.^rt 

fine libraries, to the flames. 



220 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



Mr. Baxter gives us another picture, the entrance of the union ad- 
vance, in the pursuit. As tliey welcomed our'heroic soldiers, and saw^ 
once more our. beautiful but long exiled flag, he tells us how their 
hearts bounded with glorious emotions ; how the sweet tears of j^lcas- 
ure stai'ted, and the nerves thrilled, as the successive waves of deli- 
cious sensation struck and passed over these vibrating, human chords 
of the immortal soul. 

Another day pas.sed, one of strange quiet; one army had 6\vept by in hurried 
retreat, the otlier, we Celt assured would soon appear in pursuit. Most of the men 
wlio favored the southern oause had left, and to nearly all who remained, the ap- 
proach of the union army meant deliverance. Xii^ht caine, and southward the 
camp (ires of the armies of Price and ^McCulloch could be seen, while to the 
northern sky a glow, like that of the aurora borealis, was given by those of 
the federal soldiery. With the next dawn came the report of the advance of the 
men of the north ; the heavy pickets, pressed back by the advancing enemy, rode 
slowly by, and soon, in hot haste, came a scouting party who had been watching 
the movements of the pursuing foe. In answer to our inquiries, they said the 
"feds" were rapidly coming ; and, indeed, thej' were with the swiftness and fury 
of a storm. The last of the rebel pickets were but a few hundred yards north 
of my residence, watching with deep interest a few gleaming ]ioints of steel on 
the wooded hill opposite,* soon a line of blue wound down the hill side, the pick- 
ets turned their horses' heads southward; there was a clatter of hoofs, a flashing 
sabers, a wild and fierce hurrah, ringing shots from revolvers, men fleeing for 
lile, men and steeds in the chase both seemingly animated by the same spii-it of 
destruction; in a word, the most exciting of military spectacles ; a cavalry charge 
had been made past my door. Within a few moments men had been slain and 
wounded, prisoners taken, and our town Avas in possession of the advance guard 
of the union army. 

And now they streamed in on every side; the whole country seemed alive with 
mounted men. A loud shout was heard on the puldic square; we turned our eyes 
in that direction, and a splendid banner, made when the union sentiment ran 
high, but which for months had been concealed, was floating from the flag staff on 
the court-house, and we were once more under the stripes and stars. Strange that 
an emblem should have such power over the human soul ! and yet the first sight of 
the ocean or the down-rushing flood of Niagara did not awaken such emotions as 
the waving folds of that banner of the free. Carefully had it been concealed, and 
faithfully preserved when its possession would have been deemed a high crime if 
discovered. A few eyes had been permitted to look upon it in secret during the 
dark days; the tones of the voice were low when it was mentioned ; on one occa- 
sion a confederate officer \va([ only a mattress between him and that Jlag ; but 
now it was flung out once more by loyal hands to the free air, hailed with almost 
frantic delight by loyal voices, stretched to its utmost tension by a strong breeze; 
every stripe distinct, every star visible; the old flag, the joy of every loyal heart! 
Scorn and contumely had been heaped upon it; to mention it, save in condemna- 
tion, a crime ; its place usurped by another banner, but the day of its triumph 
had come at last. 

Soon the main body of the troops, under General Asboth, rode into town. 
Their appearance, when contrasted with that of the legions of Price, who pre- 
ceded them, was magnificent; and, indeed, apart from any comparison, they were 
a noble body of men. They were mostl}' from Iowa and Illinois; under a chief 
who had seen service in Europe, and who looked more like a soldier than any of 
the hastily improvised generals who were with the army whose retreat we had just 
witnessed. The union ladies warmly and gladly saluted the flag which was borne 
at the head of the column, and my wife was the first, from the ttalcony of our 
dwelling, to wave and shout a welcome. An officer observing her, while thus 
greeting the banner, called out, '' Where are you from ? " " Massachusetts," was 
the reply. " Ah," he said, "/ thought so ! I too am from Massachusetts." 

Tliis force, which entered Fayetteville, was the cavalry of Curtis, 



IN MISSOURI, q:)^ 



which, after a brief stay, returned north to the main body The 
rebel army benig largely reinforced south of the town, again passed 



xv.iy.^x cij^xjij Kj^L^iQ j.iigcj) luiiiiurcuu soutn 01 tne t( 
through it, a few days later, to attack Curtis, when 
tie of Pea liidge, which we thus outline. 



occurred the Bat- 




battery, until nine o'clock the next morning, when he was attacked bj' a large ad- 
vance of the enemy. Having a lar^e baggage train to guard, Sigel retreated 
slowly along the road. He fought his way, most gallantly, until within three or 
four miles of the main body, when part of the first division came to his relief, 
opening upon the_ enemy with artillery and infantry and checked the pursuit', 
which closed the fight for tlie day. 

_ At eleven o'clock the next morning the rebels attacked the right of the union 
line. The fight was heavy here during the day and the losses severe, (ieneral 
McCulloch, commanding the rebel forces, fell shot through the heart. The next 
morning, at sunrise the battle was again renewed. iSigel moved steadily forward, 
with the left, and driving the enemy from the hills, when General Curtis ordered 
the riglit, under General E. A. Carr, and the center, uqder General Jefferson C. 
Davis, to advance. In the final position, thus obtained, the rebels were inclosed 
in a segment of a circle. A charge of infantry was then made, extending through- 
out the whole line, which completely routed the rebels, and they fled in great 
confusion. 

The total union loss was 1301 ; that of the enemy far greater — among these 
were four of their generals: McCulloch, jVlcIntosh, Herbert, and Slack ; while 
our highest officer killed was the brave Lieutenant-Colonel Hendricks, of the 22d 
Indiana. 

In his official report, General Curtis said: "Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and 
Missouri may proudly share the honor of victory which their gallant heroes won, 
over the combined forces of VanDorn, Price, and McCulloch, at Pea liidge, in the 
Ozark Mountains of Arkansas." 

A vivid description of the flight of the routed army is given in 
Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, from which the folloAving is extracted : 

The living tide, which had swept through our town to the Boston Mountains, 
becan to flow back. VanDorn had arrived to take the command of all the forces 
in 'that reo-ion. We heard the salutes which welcomed his arrival, and about the 
same time'there came the first news from Fort Donelson ; but how different from 
the reality: it was represented as an unmitigated disaster to the union cause; 
twenty thousand prisoners had been taken, and the confederat^e cavalry was in hot 
pursuit of the remnant ofthe fleeing host. Bulletins to this eflect were circulated 
through the camp, and all felt certain that a similar fate soon awaited the l.ttle 
army of General Curtis, then encamped in the vicinity of the now Axmous held of 
Pea Ridge; and, though much has been said concerning tl>!f-°"\*lV h'.IX 
importan't and stoutly contested battles ofthe war-yet I ^-^ ^old to say hat t e 
8to?y of that field has not yet been told. In the official reports ^^ G^^f"-^' C"rt^« 
and liis division commanders, the occurrences of the ^^ree eventful days are 

?ath^^t;;i:^^tt^ni:^yh!;n:i^ 

"^^eSStis estimated the .rces^ 

45,000; and from the number of the regiments "f ^^^ f "^^^'^T] t ink 40 0^^ 
th^ appearance of the troops, and the time it -^ ^mj." P^^^.i h didsions 
rather inside than beyond t\e rea number. ]lJ'''J'^'^l^;^^,, retreat from 
of Kains, Slack, and Frost. McCulloch had a laige army ueio 



222 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



Cross Hollows, and manj' newly-raised refriments were said to liave joined him at 
Boston Mountain; and to these must be adiled the Indian briiiade, under (Jeueral 
Pike. Most of these troops passed through our tuwn on the od and 4th of March. 

The quiet which reigned alter the aruiy had passed northward was soon broken 
by the roar of artillery, which told that the battle had begun; this tiring took place 
near BentonvUIe, where VanDorn, in his report of the battle, says that he found 
k5igel posted with a force of 70UO strong. 'J'he truth is that ^igel was there, but 
with not quite as many hundreds as he was reputed to have thousands. With thia 
small yet determined band he kept lighting and retreating; and the severe loss 
inflicted upon the enemy during that well-conducted retreat, was well cnU-ulated 
to create and keep up the impression that Sigel had TOOO instead of but fiOU men. 

This falling back, in the face of an overwhelming force, was called a retreat of 
all the fe<ieral forces: and we soon got news that the invading army was in full 
flight in Missouri; and then that it had been overtaken and surrounded. At this 
juncture our feelings were not of the most agreeable character. Our news, be it 
remembered, however, was from the southern side alone; we knew nothing of the 
splendid strategy of !?igel, the truly chivalrous deeds of Asboth. the unflagging 
courage and endurance of Carr, Davis, and, indeed, of every man in those terrible 
three days, for every man there did his duty. IIow cheering to us would have 
been the knowledge of the calm self-reliance of Curtis, who, though surrounded, 
as he knew, by a va^stly superior foe, abated neither heart nor hope; having come 
to fight, not to surrender!- Thus passed Thursday and Friday. On Saturday morn- 
ing the news was not so favorable for the exultant expectants of a triumph before 
which all others were to pale ; the contest was said to be fearful, the slaughter, on 
both sides, immense; still the advantage was with the south. Then the report 
came that a carriage was coming containing a wounded officer; and one of those 
who had just returned from th.- battle-field said: " It is true, gentlemen, that a 
carriage is coming, but the officer in it, be he whom he may, is dead, for 1 helped 
to lii't him into it; his face was covered, I did not know him, but that he is dead 
1 know." Soon the carriage came in sight; and we learned that it contained the 
body of the famous Ben McCuUoch. 

This was unexpected and startling; matters began to wear a serious aspect ; 
and, just after nightfall, hearing a wagon from the direction of the battle-ground 
passinii; my door, 1 went out to make some inquiries, and found that it contained 
the body of (Jeneral James Mcintosh, who fell nearly at the same time with 
McCulloch. The body was taken into the house of an acquaintance of mine ; I 
entered, and there he lay, cold and stark, just as he was taken from the spot where 
he fell; a military overcoat covering his person, and the dead forest leaves still 
clinging to it. His wound had not been examined; I aided in opening his vest 
and under-garments, and soon found that the ball had passed through his bocy, 
near, if not through the heart. 

Returning home from the sad scene I heard the sound of a horse's feet coming 
down the road from the battle-field ; soon horse and rider came into view, both 
evidently much jaded. 1 hailed him, and asked the news from the fight; he re- 
plied by calling me by name, and 1 soon found it to be one of our citizens, we 1 
known to me, an officer in the confederate army, but just before the breaking out 
of the war a stronij union man, who, like many others, was forced, by public sen- 
ment, into the army. '• IIow is the contest going?" said I. He replied: "We 
had them all surrounded; bui just before I left a movement was made by our 
troops to let them get awmj if they wished to do so. Orders were given to our 
regiment for every man to take care of himself Our friend "Wilson's son, a lad 
of fourteen, had his leg shot off, and I thought I would come and let the father 
know the condition of the son. A terrible time it was, I tell you ; their men 
were vastly better drilled than ours; and when under fire they moved Avith as 
much precision as on the parade-ground Init our's broke ranks often." 

A few officers came in during the night, and a confederate surgeon, when I met 
him the next morning, said that they were badly beaten. "The very earth trem 
bled," said he, "when their infantry opened fire upon us." 

About ten o'clock on Sunday morning, the army, which a few days before had 



IN MISSOURI. 



223 



passed my house so exultant and confident of an easy and complete victory, came 
back ; but it was an army no lonj^er. 

When Price went by a quick march on his way to Boston Mount lin, he was 
only falling back to lay a trap for his enemies; but now the army was a confused 
mob, not a regiment, not a company in rank, save two regiments of cavalry, wiiich, 
as a rear guard, passed througli near sun-down ; the rest were a rabble-rout, not 
four or live abreast, but the whole road, about fifty feet wide, filled with men, 
every one seemingly animated with the same desire — to get away. Few, very few, 
had guns, knapsacks, or blankets ; every thing calculated to impede their flight had 
been abandoned ; many were hatless, and the few who had any thing to carry were 
those who bad been fortunate enough to pick up a chicken, goose or pig; if the 
latter, it was hastily divided so as not to be burdensome, and the usual formalities 
of butchering and taking of the bristles were dispensed with. Very few words 
were spoken ; few of them had taken any food for two or three days ; they had lost 
McCulloch, Mcintosh, ISlack, Reeves, and other officers of note, and, in a M-ord, 
they were tborouglily dispirited. And thus, for hours, the human tide swept by, 
a broken, drifting, disorganized mass, not an officer, that I could see, to give an 
order; and bad there been, he could not have reduced the formless mass to dis- 
cipline or order. Many called in, with piteous stories pf suffering from hunger, 
and were relieved, as far as our means would permit; but these soon failed, and 
all we could furnish was pure water. Four members of the 3d Lousiana stopped 
at one time to get water, and one of them looking round, said : " 'J'his is the largest 
number of our regiment that 1 have seen since we left the battle-field." Of an- 
other I inquired: "What has become of the 3d Louisiana?" He replied; 
"There is no 3d Louisiana." 

An old friend of mine— John Mays, a true union man— who had three sons in 
the confederate army, as 1 am fully assured, contrary to their wishes and prin- 
ciples, when lie heard the sounds of battle, started for the field to see what was 
the fate of bis boys, and was returning with one of them when 1 asked him, 
" How went the day ? " He replied : " It was a perfect stampede ; whole regiments 
threw down their arms and fled." Indeed, after the fall of xMcCulloch and Mcin- 
tosh and the capture of Colonel Hebert, there was no one to take command of 
that' portion of the army; the necessary result was the hurried and disorderly 
flight 1 have attemoted to describe. The victors had no cavalry to keep up the 
numiit; and, indeed, constant watching and fighting for three days had left them 
in such a condition that they were unable to reap all the advantages of their val- 
or Still it was a most decisive victory ; much of the routed army never was got 
together again; and no portion of iff made a stand, but only to be ajram 




Ot tne SOlUiers came lu uiy i.v;i.o^, — -- ... -■•-- oWun<^(\ to 

A.sboth and knew me, and of course were friendly. One of them cl. im.a to 
Cfi' l:,Wl T?.n Mc(ulloch. Bein. familiar with the appearance of the rebel 




w t'h 1 nV stocking's \lrawn over boots and pantaloons up to lus Knees 
'^nUoned ;^!::;d as there was pr<d.aj,iy not -K>ther man in either army 




ward,.,! the r,.ort of ^^^^^ F^ XT^^odiatol, adopted 
J^I!^^ "^^^^^ -d those who s,n.patbi.ed ... 



224: TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

them. This comma»ding officer was directed to arrest and imprison 
all persons found in arms against the government, and all who, in any 
way, aided them. Success attended his plans. The campaign of Gen- 
eral Curtis, in the south-west, resulted in driving the rebels out of 
two states and across the Mississippi; and the expedition against 
Island No. 10, under General Pope and Commodore Foote, was one of 
the most brilliant operations of the war, as the most splendid results 
were obtained by strategy rather than fighting— all the advantages 
usually attendant on a bloody and decisive victory, without loss 
of life. 

ISLAND NO. TEX. 

Upon the evacuation of Columbus, on the 3d of March, the enemy fell back 
upon and fortified Island No. Ten, a place of remarkable strfenj^th, situated in the 
Mississippi, just opposite the boundary line of Kentucky and Tennessee. Tlie 
general course of the river is south, but at the island it makes a sharp bend to the 
north for several miles, and then, tarnini;; south in a semi-circle, forms a tongue 
of land, opposite the northern point of which, on the Missouri side, is New Ma- 
drid, which last is two or three miles below the island. On the 3d of March the 
corps of Gen. Pope, which had been disciplined by severe service in Missouri, ar- 
rived before New Madrid, which was strongly garrisoned. He took possession of 
Point Pleasant, eight miles below the town, with a body of troops, and planted 
sunken batteries and rifle pits, so that the enemy's gunboats could not pass up 
the river. The enemy erected batteries on the east side the of stream, and in con- 
iunction with six gunboats, in vain attempted to shell Pope from his position. 
Kew Madrid was well defended by redoubts and intrench ments, and the land be- 
ins low the gunboats commanded the country for some distance. 

Gen. Pope took up a position below the town, cutting off supplies, and pushing 
forward works to command the place. On the 13th he opened lire most vigor- 
ously, disabling several of the gunboats. In the night a severe thunder storm 
ensued. Under cover of the darkness, the enemy having been severely handled, 
secretly abandoned their works, and in panic rushed aboard of their gunboats and 
transports. 

When the morning of the 14th dawned, their departure became known. Their 
flight had been so hasty, that they left their dead unburied, their suppers un- 
touched, standing on their tables, candles burning in their tents and every other 
evidence of a disgraceful panic. Nothing except the men escaped, and they only 
with what they wore. They landed on the opposite side of the river, and scattered 
in the wide bottoms. Immense supplies of property, even the officers' private 
bao-gage, all their artillery, amounting to 33 pieces, thousands of stands of arms, 
tents for ten thousand men, were among the spoils. Our whole loss during these 
operations was 51 killed and Avounded. The enemy's loss was unknown; beside 
his dead unburied, more than one hundred new grav<?s attested that he had suf- 
fered severely. 

The investment of the Island was begun on the 16th, by the fleet of Commo- 
dore Foote, from above it. Although a continuous bombardment was kept up dur- 
ing the seige, little harm was thus done to the enemy. When Gen. Pope got pos- 
session of New Madrid his troops lined the Missouri bank, below the Island, and 
their batteries w^ere vigorously replied to by those of the enemy on the Tennessee 
shore, and the Island. There were', however, no means for Gen. Pope to cross 
the river while the enemy's gunboats occupied below the Island, and all the union 
boats were above it. It was necessary to cross to successfully assail the enemy's 
batteries there. Gen. Schuyler Hamilton suggested a plan, which was adopted, 
to cut a canal, on the Missouri side, from above the Island to New Madrid below, 
and through it bring steamboats to enable them to transport their troops across 
the river. • The cutting of the canal was performed by Col. Bissel and his regi- 
ment of engineers, and was a work of great difficulty. The idea of cu "ing a 
canal large etiough for good sized steamboats, for four miles, and then to saw off, 



IN MISSOURI. 09K 

four feet under water, at least one thousand trees, rnn.cing from six inches to 
three feet in diameter, beside removing unnumbered snags for a distance of ei^ht 
miles, was something novel in warfare. Napoleon's drawing his cannon over Uie 
icy crags of the Alps, was nothing in comparison. These trees were cut oft' by 
hand by means of long -saws worked by twenty men. After disiirinir the canal 
the water cam>3 through with such a current that the boats had to be "dropped by 
lines over nearly the whole distance of twelve miles. For nineteen days the work 
was prosecuted with untiring energy and determination, under exposures and pri- 
vations very unusual, even in the history of warfare. It was completed on the 
4th of April, and will long remain a monument of enterprise and skill. 

On the 5th of April the steamers and barges were brought near to the mouth of the 
bayou which discharges into the Mississippi at New Madrid, but were kept care- 
fully out of sight from the river, while our floating batteries were being completed. 
The enemy, as was afterward learned, had received positive advices of the con- 
Btruction of the canal, but were unable to believe that such a work was practica- 
ble. The first assurance they had of its completion, was the appearance of the 
four steamers loaded with troops, on the morning of the 7th of April, the day of 
the defeat and surrender of the rebels. 

In the meanwhile Commodore Foote, above the Island, had accomplished some 
important points. The first of those was the spiking of a battery at the head of the 
Island, a daring and most gallant act, which was performed on the night of the 
1st of April by Col. Roberts, of the 42d Illinois. Each gunboat furnished a yawl 
manned by six oarsmen. Selecting forty men picked from Company A, each 
armed with a revolver, they started on their perilous errand, and just as a severe 
tnunder storm was approaching. 

With muflled oars the boats advanced cautiously along the edge of the bank. 
Owing to the violence of the storm and darkness, they got within a few rods of 
the battery, when a blinding flash of lightning glared across the water, revealing 
to tiie rebel sentinels dark objects appr'oaching. The next instant impenetrable 
darkness closed in. The sentinels fired wildly, and then fled in terror. Our boats 
made no reply. In two or three minutes they touched the slope of the earthworks. 
The men sprang over the parapet, sledges and files were busy, and with a few 
vigorous strokes all the guns were spiked. They were six in number, one of them 
a splendid nine inch pivot gun, received the personal attention of Col. Robert's 
brawny arm. In an inconceivably short time the boats were on their way back, 
and all arrived safely and exultant. 

On the night of the 4th, the cunboat Carondolet, and on that of the 6th, the 
Pittsburg succeeded in running past the Island. On the 7th, these boats attacked 
and silenced the batteries on the Tennessee shore, at the point destined for cross- 
ing. Meanwhile the division of Gen. Paine embarked in the boats that had come 
through the bayou, and was followed by the other corps over the_ river, where 
they attacked the enemy and drove them to the impassable swamps in their rear, 
where they were compelled to surrender. While these events transpired, the 
Island surrendered to Commodore Foote; but most of the troops had before aban- 
doned it. About 7000 prisoners were captured in all, with 123 pieces of heavy 
artillery, 30 field guns, beside an immense amount of munitions, and seven steam- 
boats. It was a great success, reflecting lasting credit to the general in command. 

An officer of the 39th Ohio, present, gives ns an amusing descrip- 
tion of the scenes of the flight and surrender. He first alludes to the 
famous canal. 

All this done, and forthwith, to the astonished eyes of ^e?]^'^', ^^"?,^f ^^^^J 
stea7ning out of the woods four fine steamers, able to carry ^'^^^'/y/'";^^^ '^""|,^°^ 
men! This last was the unkiridest ent of all. They felt sore that t;^"^;;^ _^^P^ 
should have out-ceneraled them out of New Madnd, but the '^^'^^ .^^ S 
in its character, of bringing, in opposition to all the laws of nature, steamboats 

overland'' was too much. , ,, ...iranSf down 

Our t;oops landed at twelve, yesterday, and commenced the •"^«" f ^^^ 
across the Kentucky line into the swamps of Tennessee, ^ow the lebels 



226 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



lons-winderl and rnn wel], if they do not fi.iilit. This fact our hoys can testify to. 
Mere they ^vent — Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama. Louisiana — puffinjr, 
hlowinij and swearing at the " unchivalrous" treatment — as Ohio, Illinois, Indiana 
and Iowa stepped on their heels, and occasionally pulled at the coat tails that 
stuck out so invitingly. Once in a while thev would u;et mad and shoot, and have 
the compliment returned — hut it was the old sonjr, 'nobody hurt." When the 
poor fellows found our battery planted l)elo\v, and the two jiunlioats, with the 
stars and stripes ahead of them, and their half dozen cowardly trunboats, taken 
[food care to leave them, they appeared to resi<:n themselves to their fate. They 
3at down on loi;s, crawled into tree tops, dodged into houses, and went promiscu- 
:)usly loose. Guns and oartrid<re boxes were thrown away — clothint: and blankets,, 
ammunition, lumber of all kinds, from the favorite eighteen inch tooth-pick to a 
thirtv two pounder, biy along their line of march — even the march of the chivalry, 
one of whom "at any time whips five Yankees." liut one division of our little 
army reach the enemy, until they were all made prisoners. 

Gen. jSIcCall was first in command, and had formally surrendered his force. He 
marched it in about nine at night. I almost felt sorry, the poor fellows looked so 
nhop fallen. Gen. Pope had just two regiments to receive them, while the force 
surrendered was seven regiments from Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama 
and Louisiana. 

It was nothing strange to see half a dozen of our soldiers bringing in fifty 
armed men. Now, it may seem strange, but it is true. I never yet saw men so 
completely humiliated. Some of their officers were as dashing and bloviating as 
ever. One says, " well, I have been fighting all my life, but its over with me novr. 
I am a prisoner, but gentlemen, you can not subdue the South — just as sure aa 
you live in the next great battle we will whale you to death. You can't whip the 
South." 

Some beautiful farms, in fine cultivation, rise up out of the marshes here, very 
productive. But such a pale, cadaverous people are the inhabitants, that one 
Bould almost be persuaded that they are a mixed race. Of this " poor white trash," 
there is a large portion in the Southern army. Their white masters have made 
them believe, in their ignorance, that we are a set of demons. One poor woman, 
where the 39th boys arrested a dozen rebels to-day, raised her voice in prayer and 
fervently blessed God that Major Noyes did not have her and her children all 
murdered at on i;e. She must have confidently expected that we would adorn our- 
selves with the scalps of her little white headed urchins. One whole family floated 
iown on a raft the other day — man, woman and tow-headed urchins, all were 
towed a shore by one of our boats. 'J'he good lady was a voluble talker, and told 
us all her wrongs. She says. "1 has jist got this one dress and no skeerts. I 
wears it till its slick and dirty and has to go to bed till its washed." I believed all 
the story but the last part. I should like to take a few such families home with 
me, on exhibition, to show the beautiful workings of the system of slavery upon 
the laboring white man. 

After Gen. Halleck was appointed commander-in-chief of tlie forces 
of the United States, Gen. Curtis succeeded him in the Department 
of the South-West, and Gen. Schofield assumed command of tlie army 
of the frontier, the operations of which were mainly confined to 
South-Western Missouri. 

The next matter of moment to the people of Missouri, after the 
surrender of Island ISTo. 10, was the battle of Prairie Grove, Dccemher 
7, 18G2, over tlie state line, near Fayetteville, Arkansas. This was 
fought just nine montlis after the battle of Pea Eidge, Avithin a few 
miles of the same spot, and like that also a signal union victory. It 
is described on page 541. 

Early next year the rebel Marmaduke made two unsuccessful raids 
into Missouri. On the 8th of January, 18G3, he attacked Springfield 
with GOOO troops, and was beaten ofl:' with severe loss, by the union 



IN MISSOURI. 227 

forces under Gen. E. B. Brown. Being foiled in this atiemnt, Mar- 
maduke moved his whole force northward, when he was ao-a'in de- 
feated by a greatly inferior force at Hartsville. Gen. Fitz* Henry 
Warren having learned of the approach of the enemy toward Spring- 
field, ordered Col. Merrill, of the 21st Iowa, to make a forced march 
with 700 men to the relief of that place. These troops were the 21st 
Iowa, 99th Illinois infantiy, detachments of the 3d Iowa and 3d Mis- 
souri cavalry, and a section of artillery under Lieut. Waldsmidt. At 
Hartsville they met the enemy, where the action occurred, and it is 
called the Hartsville fight; but it should be termed the ''battle of the 
Wagons,'' for wagons contributed in a large measure to the vic- 
tory. Gen. Warren, for greater speed, had dispatched all the infan- 
try in wagons. The presence of such an immense train, led Marma- 
duke to believe that the union force was corresponding!}^ large. Hence 
his excessive caution led to his defeat, b}^ one eighth of his own num- 
ber. The details of this remarkable victory are thus given by Warren : 

Our artillery opened fire at eleven o'clock. The position of our troops was : 
one thou.*an(l thrown out three and a half miles on the Houston road; one thou- 
sand held the town approach from .Sprine;field; one thousand rested on the Gas- 
conade, south of town, covered byahii^h bluff; while twenty-five hundred to three 
thousand men were in the open field in front of onr line, and occupying the court 
house, and other biyldings in the town. Their artillery (five pieces) was in bat- 
tery on a high bluff east of town, and to occupy it, they used a road cut by my 
order for the same purpose during my former occupancy of Hartsville. The 
officers in command with Generals Marmaduke and MciDonald were Colonels 
Porter, Thompson, Burbridge, Shelby, Henkle, Jeffrey and Campbell. The l)attle 
opened, after the fire of artillery, by a charge of Jeffrey's cavalry (seven hundred) 
on our whole line. The infantry, lying flat, held themselves with great coolness 
until the line was in easy range, when they fired with great accuracy, and threw 
the whole force into utter confusion. From this time until half past four the firing 
was incessant, but smaller bodies of men were brought out, and although at times 
both flanks and the center were heavily press, no large column moved up. Our 
men held their cover and did fine execution, while the artillery shelled the enemy 
from the court and other houses. At this time (3 o'clock), had we a reserve of five 
hundred men, we could have broken their line, and compelled their retreat in dis- 
order, but every man was required to hold our only avenue of retreat on the Leb- 
anon road, where our communication was constantly threatened. The enemy 
commenced falling back— as I am informed by Lieut. Brown, of the 3d Iowa cav- 
alry, taken prisoner, while reconnoitering at Wood's Fork, during the first hght— 
at three o'clock, and the retreat became general at twilight In the meantime 
our artillery ammunition being nearly spent, Colonel Merrill ignorant of their 
movements, ordered the detachments to fall back on the Lebanon road, which 
they did in perfect order, with their whole transportation, losing not even a mus- 
ket or cartridge box. Our loss, as by statements appended herewith, is seven killed 
and sixty-four wounded, five prisoners and two missing. Theirs '| '^^SJ >» ^ 
and officers. From subsequent details, I am satisfied it will exceed ^jee n ndred 
killed and wounded, besides two lieutenants and twenty-seven privates F ^oners^ 
Among the killed (whose bodies were recognized a Hartsv.le a e Brigadier 
General Emmet McDonald, Cols. Thompson and H.nkle, '-^^^ Major Kule^ At 
the mouth of Indian creek, they paroled and released Lieut. B^'"' "J ^^^^^^^^^ 
prisoners. Gen. Marmaduke, several time^ on the march, exp essed • >- ;- " .^J 
at the bravery of our troops, repeating, " W/uj, Lieutenant, your hoys fought like 

^fcan not sufficiently express my admiration of their conduct The 2,.tTnwa 

and 99th Illinois wei4 never before ^^^ v^^"'' If^-°l.^rpS aTdisciplin^^^ 
flinched. Nothing could have been finer than their steadiness and discipUne. 

14 



228 TIMES OF THE REBELLION. ' 

f" 
Tlif 3(] Iowa and .Id Mispouri cavalry were equally cool and determined; but they i 
have before seen dangerous service. 11 

Capt. Black, coraniandinji the 3d Missouri cavalry, made for himself a most en- 
viable reputation; thirteen shot holes in his coat suflieiently indicated where he ^ 
was — in tlie hottest of the fire. The artillery saved the battle. Lieut. Wald- 
pmidt's iriinnery ^Yas superb, and his coolness astonishing. The enemy's Parrott 
gun <rot his range and fired with great precision, compelling him to change the 
position of his piece constantly. 

The often defeated, but pertinacious ]\[armaduke, in the succeed- 
ing April made an assault upon Cape Girardeau and was gallantly | 
repelled by Gen. McNeil. No large bod}* of rebel troops again in- 
vaded Missouri until the spring of 18G4, when Rosecrans was military f 
commander of the state. Then occurred Price's last campaign. Its 
events have thus been outlined. 

Price chose a time when we were poorly prepared to meet him, Rosecrans not 
having troops enough at command to stop him until a large part of the state had - 
been traversed and ravaged. Price, having crossed the Arkansas, reorganized 
his troops at Batesville. There Shelby joined him, leaving .Steele, whom he hail * 
hitherto been threatening, as a cover to Price's advance. At once our troops })0- 
gan to callect. Steele rapidly followed Price from Arkansas with a part of his *■ 
troops, reinforced at Uuval's Bluff by Mower's infantry division and Winslow's 
cavalry, from AVashburne's command, which the latter sent across from Memphis. • 
A. .1. Smith, who was going to join Sherman, crossed to llrownsville, Ark., and ' 
thence, by a long march of nineteen days and 312 miles, on ehort rations, reached ^ 
Cape Girardeau, Mo. Nine days on transports carried him thence to .lefl'er- 
son City. I 

No sooner did Price commence his march from Batesville, than it was evident f 
that Pilot Knob, Kolla, Springfield, and Jefferson City, (all important points), | 
would be directly aimed at. Should these be carried St. Louis would be in dan- * 

Price, with 15,000 men, advanced, without opposition, to Pilot Knob, Avhich was 
partially fortified and garrisoned with less than 1000 men, under General Hugh 
Ewing. On the morning of the 26th the attack on the town commenced, and, for 
several hours, the battle raged fiercely outside the works. The fighting continued 
for two days. Ewing finally retired to the fortifications and defended them most 
pertinaciously. The rebels finding that the works could not be carried by assault, 
placed their artillery upon a commanding hill, which at once rendered Ewing's 
position untenable. At three o'clock on the morning of the 28th, Ewing, with his 
little band, evacuated the fort, taking the road towards Harrison, on the south- 
west branch of the Pacific Railroad. Although the enemy had troops on all sides 
of the town, it was some time before they learned of his retreat. Pursuit was 
immediately commenced, and for two or three days the federals were sorely 
pressed and compelled to fight at every step. At Harrison, Ewing was reinforced 
by a small force of cavalry, and succeeded in reaching RoUa in safety. The reb- 
els lost 500 men in the attack and retreat ; and Ewing not over 200. 

Price now aimed at Jefferson City, crossing the Osage. Here our troops had i 
been concentrated, under General Fisk, from Rolla, Springfield, and elsewhere. 
After some skirmishing at Jefferson City, Price retired to Booneville. Our forces 
remained quiet, and without pursuit, until Pleasantson came up, when the latter 
followed Price to Booneville, and harassed his rear with Sanborn's troops. Mean- 
while Price had captured Harding's new regiment at Glasgow, on its way to Jef- 
ferson City. Most of our cavalry was now concentrated at the Black "Water, 
where Winslow, from Washburn's command, joined it. On the 17th, Pleasantson 
moved from Sedalia in pursuit of Price, whom he struck at the Little Jilue on the 
22d, and drove thence to the Big Blue. Here Price forced Blunt to retire, and 
awaited Pleasantson's attack. 

On the following day, the 23d, a severe battle was fought near Wcstport. It 
eeems to have been a singular affair. Curtis was first driven from Westport. by 



IN MISSOURI. 229 

the enemy under Shelby, who was in turn attacked and defeated by Pleasantson. 
The enemy then turned south, on the Fort t^cott road, and henceforward occupied 
himself only to get away with the spoils of his campaign. Pleasantson and Cur- 
tis, having joined forces, briskly pursued, and at length reached the enemy on the 
25th. Under cover of a dense fog, Pleasantson attacked and routed him, cap- 
turing camp equipage, one cannon, twenty Avagons full of plunder, and several 
hundred head of cattle. The enemy retreated, and at length secured a better 
position across Mine Creek, which he guarded with a full battery. 

Marraaduke and Fagan's entire divisions were joined in line of battle, supported 
by seven pieces of artillery. The first brigade, under Colonel Philips, and the 
fourth, under Lieutenant-Colonel Benteen, soon arrived upon the ground, and 
formed their line of battle; and this little force of cavalry, scarcely 30U0 men, 
on the order being given to charge, dashed against more than three times their 
number. Acro.ss the prairie they went, filling the air with their enthusiastic yells, 
and carrying consternation a,nd death to the rebel ranks. A hand to hand saber- 
fight ensued, which, however, was very brief, as the enemy broke and fled in all 
directions. 

The results of this charge were: seven pieces of artillery, two battle-flags, Gen- 
erals Marmaduke and Cabell, five colonels, and about 700 prisoners. 

Once more, at Marias des Cygnes, the enemy attempted a stand, but was forced 
to retreat, destroying a long train of wagons and some ammunition, to prevent its 
recapture. 

Asjain, on the 2Sth, Price was overtaken at Newtonia, and defeated with a re- 
ported loss of 250 men. More wagons were here destroyed. 

Last of all, at Fayetteville, Ark, his rear-guard was again harassed, and one 
more skirmish ensued of a similar character with the preceding. 

j/ REBEL ATROCITIES. 

In addition to the devastation of regular warfare, Missouri suffered 
more, perhaps, from guerrilla bands, than any other state. Many of 
these'bandit chiefs were harbored and protected by disloyal citizens. 
The crimes of these men were such as would have been deemed im- 
possible a few years since ; but now no pen can exaggerate their bar- 
barities When the rebel armies were driven out of Missouri, most of 
these plundering bands left the northern and interior portions of the 
state, and confined their foul deeds mainly to the south-west. 01 
their deeds in that region, 3Ii'. Baxter, in his work already quoted, 
gives us these facts as coming within his knowledge : 

The leaders of these bands, though in some instances men of ability, were 
mostly intemperate and when under^the influence of drink perpetrated cr.mes, 
which we S would hope they would have shrank from m their sober moments. 
Sn one occa ioiTabout ihe last of June, the bands of Coffee, Kains, and some 
otSe'crme into our town, bringing as prisoners f-f- -^ ^1^^^^^^^^^^ 
taken from tl-r.homes wlnle en ea..nn, to^^^^^^^^ ilt^ZLT:^ 

accused of no crime '^"/i^^^'^Y^'.f brought in. Coffee who was seldom sober, 
res ed. A f^^l^^^Y, ^^ ^^^l^'^s ^^e^ to talk about shooting those prisoners, in 
and some of the othei "t^ccis be an o j^,^ ^^^^ federal cavalry 

retaiation for some men they haa lost in an eu^^^^c 

a few days before. They mutual y excited each o^^^rM,^^ pH oneT'their 
even in the hearing of some citizens ^P^^^^f ,^ ^'J^'^'^he '^ than any 

friends regarded their threats as ^^e more o the liquor t^^e^^^^^^ ^^^^^ .^ 

:=.^S5;:;i:: Zrn-nitS^nL^ih^-d executed their murder- 
^IC^dnigh, without the^^st^rm of ^.c.i^^^^^ 

awaited them, the prisoners, four i" """^«^^^ '^ turned into a dim and unfre- 
strong guard About a mile from ^^^ ^^^f ^^ j^, from the main road were 
quented road ; and when about a quarter oi * m 



230 



TIMES OF TUB REBELLION 



halted. On the lower side of the road was a comparatively clear spot, the under- 
growth havinii; been cleared away; into tliat space they were ordered; tiie word 
was given ; the report of fifteen or twenty guns was heard ; they all fell, and 
their murderers returned and left them just as they lay. Tlie (iring was heard in 
town, but the cause of it was known only to the drunken and brutal CofTce and 
his companions, by whose order this deed, black as the hour at which it took 
place, was done. 

Only three of the poor wretches, however, were dead, the other was shot 
throuiih the body and fell; and after the departure of the executioners he 
crawled through the bushes and over the rocks, about a quarter of a mile, to the 
nearest house. His wounds were of a horrible character, and no expectation 
was entertained that he could live more than a few hours. In this condition, 
with death, as he felt assured, close at hand, he told his sad story: he said that he 
and his companions had never had arms in their hands on either side; that they 
were taken prisoners at home while at work; that they knew of no reason for 
their arrest, but, without warning and without crime, had been torn from their 
families; they had not been tried, and only knew their fate when brought to the 
place of the foul murder. He gave his name and that of his fellow-prisonera, 
and desired that their families might be informed of their fate. A few hours 
more would, in all probability, have broughtanend to his sufferings; but the next 
day the news got out that one of the victims was still alive; some of the band rode 
out to see him, and one of them gave him soiue drug which soon resulted in a. 
sleep from which he never woke again. The shooting at midnight was doubtless 
consummated by deliberate poisoning in open day. 

The bodies of the other three were found, weltering in their blood, by some of 
the neighbors the next morning, whose fears and suspicions had been aroused by 
the firing in such an unfrequented place at an hour so unusual, and who imme- 
diately set about giving them a burial, hasty it is true, but decent as circumstances 
would permit. 

They were proceeding in their pious task, preparing a grave large and deep 
enough for three; but before the task was half accomplished, the murderers of 
the previous night came upon them, made them throw the bodies into the half- 
dug grave, and would not permit them to hide, with earth, the corpses of the poor 
victims from the light of day and the reach of dogs and vultures. One of the 
burial party, however, an old man, and a union man, after their departure, caaie 
back and built a wall of loose stones around the place of the dead, and then pro- 
tected it with brush that the bodies might rest unmolested by either brute or foul 
bird. 

Noble old man ! hard didst thou toil in thy labor of love in the heat of that 
summer day; no human eye saw thy sweat and toil, or knew the thoughts of thy 
heart as thou didst labor at the grave of the murdered ones; but the honest and 
noble purpose of thy heart, and: the pious labor of thy hands, were not unnoted 
of God ; and the little mound thou didst raise over these strangers in that solitude 
will seem, to thy fellows, like a mountain-peak raising thee nearer to heaven than 
thou ever didst stand before. 

Another murder, darker, and more unprovoked, if possible, than the foul mid- 
night deed just narrated, took place a few miles from town; and, as the subject 
ofit was well known for miles around, it struck a strange and undefinable terror 
into nearly every household; for. if such persons as the victim in this instance 
were not safe, there were none who could feel secure. 

He was a man bv the name of Neal, a leading member of the Methodist 
Church, of simple manners and a pure life, well and widely known, and univer- 
sally regarded as a good man. He was a union man, as nearly all of his type of 
character were, and yet he was not offensively so; he did not boast of his attach- 
ment to the old government, nor did he speak harshly or bitterly of his neighbors 
who favored the rebellion. He was too old and of too pacific a spirit to take up 
arras, and was ready, at all times, to relieve the wants of the sick and suffering 
without reference to their position on the great questions of the day. 

No intemperate language, no unfriendly act was charged against him; his only 



IN MISSOURI. c)Q| 

crime, he hfxd never wavered in his attachment to the government, he never had 
approved of the mad act of secession ; yet yielding to the violence of a storm that 
he vras powerless to resist, he retained his principles in a day of great defection 
and for this, at last, be became one of the noble army of martyrs for the union| 
■whose graves are to be found all over the seceding states, whom generations to 
come will yet honor. 

One afternoon several mounted men, friendly to all appearance, rode up to his 
gate, asking food for themselves and animals ; they were invited to alight and re- 
main till provision could be made for their wants ; they entered the house and 
found two or three men there, relatives of the family, and entered freely into con- 
versation with them, but not giving the slightest intimation as to which party they 
were attached. Supper was served; they all sat down and partook; at its close, 
the strangers said that General Curtis, whose army was encamped some twenty or 
thirty miles northward, had heard that he, Neal, had been giving information to 
the southern army, and that he must go with them to the federal camp to answer 
to this charge. The old man, with all the fearlessness of innocence, expressed 
his willingness to go ; but his wife was fearful, she hardly knew why ; the stran- 
gers, however, insisted that he and the men who were in the house should go with 
them instantly to the camp, tied their hands behind them, and they, riding, with 
the captives on foot before them, set off. 

They had only proceeded a few hundred yards, when they halted their prison- 
ers, formed them in a line, and informed them that if they had any prayers to 
offer they had better begin, as they had only five minutes to live. Appalled by 
this intelligence, they began to plead for their lives. The old man prayed them to 
spare himj'but they were deaf to his entreaties. Suddenly one of the younger 
prisoners, seeing death inevitable, by a violent effort broke the ropes which con- 
fined his hands, and ran for the woods and escaped; upon this the murderers fired 
upon the rest, killing the old man and wounding the others, and then hastily 
abandoned the scene of blood. They were confederates and had endeavored to 
palm themselves off as union soldiers'^ had been hospitably entertained, and rode 
off ^vitU the blood of their innocent and unsuspecting host upon their heads. 

This was the first killing of a private and unarmed citizen that had taken place, 
and the sensation it produced was immense. As soon as it was known those who 
gathered around the evening fire, in nearly every house and cabin, looked anx- 
iously into each other's faces'; and spoke in low tones of the dead and their own 
probable future. If a stranaer or two rode up to a dwelling, wives and mothers 
became fearful, and children turned ghastly pale; none knew who would be the 
next victim, and a shadow seemed to have fallen upon every household. 

One, writina; from St. Louis, says : 

All the south-western portions of Missouri has been depopulated; houses have 
been sacked and burnt; horses, swine sheep, and cattle ^'^J' ^.^.^ll'f^' '^l'''^ 
brave defenders have often been shot down, and women and child en have been 
robbed of the clothes they wore. There are ^«;^^'^/hisciywi(^^owj whose hus 
bands have been murdered before their eyes ; ^the.rjiousesjiave W stnp^^^^^^ ot 

ma- 
had 
to the 
been murdered .ml ^•^"['"Ve'i';,'?;';'!,,^;;/ ber"huSand by the offensive odor 
iTh "he r/;;;teatu;rit. a;:;? teJrfhle t„ . som.ry, helples, woman mast 
'°0„e;::pe'c';!hU womtroL. into St. Loui, barefoot, .ith a single cotton dress 
tCBhield her from "chill November's surlv binst. . , drawn by lean 

Wo sec, every ^7. -"- ,^f S^l r^menl S',hi'MrS vS\h'the remaL of 
iXer'SL^r.^nr^cddiri' SlIl es .Ir. .1* oM .u„, wrapped around 
them are riding upon lean horses or shriveled 01 gaunt mules. 




232 



TIMES OF THE REBELLION 



Many suffered, as did the author of the following affidavit: 

1, Franklin Wood, was born in the State of Maryland, and raised in Wasliing- 
;on county, ().; have resided in tiie State of Missouri for the last fourteen years, 
prior to tlie 2r)th of March, 1802, and was livinif in the town of independence, 
Jackson county. Mo., at the time of the breakii'ii!; out of the present relieilion, 
workini; at my trade (stone-cutting) when President Lincoln called upon Missouri 
by requisition, last April, for four regiments of soldiers to protect Washington 
Dity. Claib. Jackson, governor of said state, refused to fill the requisition, when 
it was proposed, by some loyal union men, to raise companies and go to Washing- 
;on Citv. 1 made the same proposition to raise a company in .lackson county, 
but failed. After speaking frequently in favor of the union, in opposition to 
ibuse, 1 was arrested by a band of guerrillas under Jack Harris, late member of 
;he legislature. 1 was working in my shop at the time when Jack Harris ordered 
[lis men to demolish my work: consisting of monuments, anunilier of head-stones, 
table-tops, etc., valued at $1000 — all of which they wantonly destroyed because I 
refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Southern Confederacy. As an induce- 
ment to do this, 1 was offered a command in the rebel army. Still refusing, they 
took me over to the court house square, and, after placing a rope around my neck, 
proceeded to hang me, when 1 was rescued by the timely assistance of Mr. Sam- 
uel D. Lucas, County clerk, who appealed to them in my behalf. 1 was then taken 
by William l^otts (ex-sheriff of the county, who was second in command,) to the 
jail-yard, when, upon again refusing to take the rebel oath, 1 was tied to the "ne- 
^ro whipping-post" — a place of punishment for slaves — my coat was cut and torn 
from my back, and I received twenty-five lashes from a cowhide it the bands of 
said 15otts. 

While this a^tis going on. Jack Harris ordered a body of men to set fire to my 
bouse and shop, which was done, destroying the buildings and all their contents. 
[ was thrown into the county -jail, and confined in a room fourteen feet square, in 
sompany with twenty one others — fourteen white men and seven negroes. Twc 
3f the white men died, during the winter, from hardship and exposure. Our ra- 
tions, per day, for each prisoner, was about three ounces of pork and six ounces 
Df cold corn bread, with water. We were compelled to lie upon the hard oak 
floor with no covering or fire during the inclemency of the winter season. 

There were about seventy-five persons in Harris' band at the time 1 was taken 
prisoner; and I am personal!}' acquainted with about sixty of them, who were 
residents of Jackson county. I lost betwean $4000 and $oOOO worth of stock and 
outstanding accounts. I have a disease contracted through ill-treatment and ex- 
posure during my confinement, which may siiorten my days; yet what are my 
troubles compared with those of thousands of others, who have lost their all iu 
the cause of the constitution and the union ? 

On the 2Sth of February last, a detachment of General Pope's division came 
into, and took possession of. Independence, and I was released with the others. 1 
was so afflicted with rheumatism that I was unable to walk, but had to be carried 
to the transport and conveyed to the general hospital. There, under the kind 
treatment of Surgeon R. Wells, I so far recovered as to be able to make my way 
here ; and by the blessing of God I may yet live to see the day when my enemies 
and the enemies of my countiy may tremble and the rebellion be crushed. 

P'ranklin Wood. 

Subscribed and sworn to, before me, this 26th day of April, 1862, at Marietta, 
Ohio. Manly Warren, Notary Public. 

A correspondent of the Weiv York Times, who writes fi-om Spring- 
field, Mo., tells the following sad tale : 

The tender mercies of secession are cruel. I have just heard the sad story of 
a widow who has buried two sons and a daughter since the outbreak of the rebel- 
lion. Her three children all fell by the hand of violence. 

She lived in the White River country — a land of hills and of ignorance. In 
that country she and her family stood almost alone on the side of the national 
union. Her neighbors were advocates of rebellion, and even before the arrival 



IN MISSOURI. 



of our army in Springfield, all loyal citizens were warned that they must leave 
their homes or die. It Avas little that the poor widow had to leave — a iniserable 
log-cabin and a small patcli of hillside — but such us it was, she was prepariui;; to 
abandon it, when her son Harvey left her, in search of employiuent. tShe packed 
his bundle with a heavy heart; took a silk handkerchief from her neck, iiave it 
to him, and kissed him good-bye, never expecting to see him again. 

He had not been gone many days when her persecution began. Her little boy 
was one evening bringing in wood for the fire, when a shot was heard — a bullet 
struck the log under his arm, and he dropped it with a scream. The ball had 
just missed his heart. Joy at his escape from death was henceforth mingled with 
gloomy apprehension. Next she heard of the death of Harvey. He had found a 
home, and fancied himself secure: was alone at work in the field. The family 
with whom he lived was absent. When they returned at noon they found his 
dead body, in the house, pierced with a bullet. His torn cap, and other signs, wit- 
nessed the severity of his struggle before he yielded to his murderer. 

From this time the family of Mrs. Willis lived in constant fear. One day a 
gun was fired at them as they sat at dinner. Often they saw men prowling about 
with guns, looking for the young men. One man was bold enough to come into 
the cabin in search of them. At night they all hid in the woods, and slept. The 
poor woman was one day gathering corn in the garden, and William was sitting 
upon the fence. 

"Don't sit there, William," said his mother, "you are too fair a mark for a 
shot." William Avent to the door, and sat upon the step. " William," said his 
sister, "you are not safe there. Come into the house." He obeyed. He Avas 
sitting: between two beds, when suddenly another shot rang upon the air, arid the 
widow's second son, h^amuel, Avhom she had not noticed sitting by another door, 
rose to his feet, staggered a few steps toward his mother, and fell a corpse before 
her. " 1 never Avished any one in torment before," she said, " but 1 did wish the 
man that killed him Avas there." 

Her three eldest sons at once left the cabin and fled over the hills. They are all 
in the national army to-dav. Samuel's sister washed the cold clay and dressed it 
for the grave. After two" days the secession neighbors came to bury him. At 
first the frantic mother refused to let them touch his body; but after a time she 
consented The clods were falling upon the coffin, each sound awakening an 
echo in her heart, when a whip-poor-will fluttered down, with its wild, melancholy 
cry and settled in the open grave. The notes so terrified the conscience-stricken, 
superstitious wretches that, for a moment, they fled in dismay^ ,, . r 

Two of her children were now in the tomb. Ihree had fled for their lives. 
The unharmy woman was left, with her two daughters and three small children, 
helpless and alone. She was compelled to go thirty miles, on horseback, to mill 
for food, and afterward to return on foot, leading her horse by the brid e, Avith the 
sack of meal upon his back. On her return she met her children about a mile 
and a half from^ her own house. In her neighbor's yard, her two eldes boys, aged 
Ln an welve years, were digging another grave-the grave of an old man, mur- 
derJ^Tn her absence, for the crime of loyalty to the union, logether A|.nth a 
whTte headed patriot, aU.o tottered with age, they placed the corpse upon a board, 
tolled it; unprepared for burial and uncoffined, into the shallow pit, and then cov- 
ered it with earth. ^^ , ^^ ^^^^^ her sor- 

Uve W' The only thing which sustains me :s the love of Chnst. 

Another writes: The stories of barbarities committed upon nmon 
met at the sonth, have been so horrid that we have been almost dis- 

posed to discredit them. ^, ^ ^o« frmn Alas- 

^ Take this as an instance : 1 met a lady, Avho, with her husband, was horn Mas 



234 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

jachusetts — herself a Presbyterian — who told me that in a neiphhorhood where 
;hey had resided, nine of their neighbors were murdered by the bushwhackers, 
tvho came in with a list of the names of the doomed men, and went from house 
;o house on their hellish errand. Findinj^ one man, they would compel him to es- 
cort thom to the house of the next, and when within sight of the bouse of the new 
irictiin, they would dispatch the man in hand. No be^rging would suffice. The 
-eply was, "You are radicals, and we are sent to kill you." After shooting, 
;hey cut the throats of each from ear to ear. 'ihey cut ofl' the ears and nose of 
)ne man, and then cut out his heart. One man, after they had wounded him, they 
shot wiiile his wife was bathing the wound. Another, shot in three pbices, yet 
ilivc, begged for tiie chance of his life. "No; we don't do our business in that 
,vay," was the reply ; and the captain put his revolver to the head of the poor 
nan and killed him. 

The St. Louis News of May 1st, 1862, gives this account of tlie mur- 
ler of eleven men in Cedar county : one of whom was Obediah Smith, 
I member of the state legislature : 

The scene of the atrocities was the neighborhood of Bear creek post office, in 
he eastern part of Cedar county. On Sunday, the 19th of Aprjl, a band of guer- 
■illas, thirty-one in number, can)e into the neighborhood from Calhoun, in Henry 
jounty. The)"- first captured seven soldiers of the State .Militia, three of whom 
,vere of Col. (Jravelly's regiment, and four of Capt. McCabes company, who were 
)n their return from guarding tlie Paymaster to Springfield. After being cap- 
;ure(b they were stripped of all their clothing but their shirts and drawers, formed 
n a line, and siiot from behind, the charges entering the back of their heads, 
ill seven were killed, and fell to the ground in a heap. Having perpetrated this 
jutchery, the villains went to the north of Stockton, in the same county, and cap- 

;ured Robert Williams and Powell, taking them up to the house of a seces- 

lionist to feed. Finding no corn at this house, they asked ^Ir. Williams for di- 
•ections to a place where they could get feed; but while he was standing before 
hem, giving the requested information, they shot him in the head, killing him in- 
;tantl)-. They then tnrned to Powell and fired at him, wounding him. Xeverthe- 
ess, he sprang up and ran three quarters of a mile before they overtook him. He 
ell on his knees and plead for his life, but the pitiless murderers gave him a 
second shot, which finished him. 1'hey then took his gun and went to Powell's 
louse, where they were met by the women, who told them they had ruined them, 
rhe scoundrels replied: "We have killed them, and you can not help yourselves." 

They next went to the house of Obediah Smith, and pretended to be Kansas 
Toops. Mr. Smith, believing them to be such, went out to the fence to speak 
^'ith them, carrj-ing with him, however, his Sharpe's rifle and a pistol. The cap- 
ain of the band remarked to him: "You have a gun just like mine ; let me see 
t." Smith unsuspectingly handed the weapon to hiiu, which the bushwhacker 
lad no sooner received than be said : " 1 will give you the contents of this gun," 
ind fired at him. The bail missed its aim, but the muzzle was so close to Mr. 
i's person, that the powder burned his face. He, however, fired his pistol 
;wice, knocking two of the scoundrels from their horses. He then ran toward 
lis house, his brave wife keeping between them for about forty yards, when, as 
:ie was trying to escape through the orchard, they tired and brouirht him down. 
Doming up to where he lay, they shot him again and again in the back, and 
;hen, turning him over, shot him the face. He had thirty-eight bullet wounds 
in his body. The murderers then robbed him of his money, $700 or $800 and 
;hrew the empty purse in his wife's face. 

Among the horrible acts was one perpetrated by the rebel fiends on 
the night of the 3d of November, 1861. The passenger express train 
bound ^yest, on the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad, when it had 
rea.eh Little Platte river bridge, nine miles east of St. Joseph, was pre- 
cipitated into the river, the whole train going down with a terrible 



IN MISSOURI. cyoj 

crash, hiirUnc; nearly 100 men, women, and children, into the chasm. 
The following account of the affair is from a St. Louis paper : 

The bridge was a substantial work of 100 feet span, and about 35 feet above 
the river. The timbers of the bridge had been burned by these horrible wretches 
underneath tlie track, until they would sustain but little more than their own 
weight, and the_ fire was then extinguished, leaving the bridge a mere shell. 
The train, bringing from 85 to 100 passenger, inchiding women and children' 
reached the river at 1 1 o'clock at night, and, the bridge looking secure, passed in ; 
but no sooner had the locomotive measured its length upon the brido;e than 
some 40 or 50 yards of the structure gave way, precipitating the entire train 
into the abyss below. All the seats in the passenger coaches were torn and 
shoved in front, carrying men, women and children in a promiscuous heap down 
the declivity, and burying them beneath the crushed timber, or throwing them 
out of the cars through the broken sides. Some were mangled by the machinery 
tearing through the timbers ; several were caught between planks, pressing to- 
gether like a vice. Others were struck by parts of the roof as it came down with 
mighty force, and still others were cut with pieces of glass. In the midst of this 
confusion the two last cars of the train went down, pitching the passengers into 
he wreck, or throwing them into the water, which at this point is about a foot and 
k half in depth. 

Only three persons — J. W. Parker, superintendent of the United States Express, 
^r. Jklars, mail agent, and Mr. Hager — were able to aiford assistance to the suffer- 
ing — the remainder of'those who were not killed outright being so disabled as to 
be'^helple.ss. After doing all that was possible for those requiring immediate at- 
tention, Mr. Ilager, at midnight, left the wreck to go to St. Joseph for medical and 
other assistance. He walked five miles of the way, when he found a handcar, 
upon which he proceeded the remainder of the journey. Two hundred yards 
west of the bridge he discovered a heavy oak railroad tie strongly strapped across 
the track, and two miles further on he found the trestle work over a small stream 
on fire, which, however, had "not as yet been so badly burned that trains could 
not pass over or could not be easily extinguished. 

Arrivino- at St. Joseph, the alarm was soon spread throughout the city, and, al- 
thouo-h it was one o'clock at nidit, 75 men, including all the physicrans m the 
neighborhood, a train fully equipped, supplied with medical stores and other neces- 
saries, went to the scene of the disaster. ,, , , j 

The wounded had emerired from the wreck, and were lying on the banks and upon 
a sand bar in the river. Seventeen dead bodies were recovered,_and it is believed 
that this number embraced all who were killed up to that time. Two are so 
badlv mangled that it was not expected they would survive till morning, while 
man> others were dangerously wounded, and would have to be well tak^n caie of 
to recover. Manv who'will escape with their lives, will be maimed and crippled. 

The annals of atrocity furnish nothing more fiendish than the -Sam 
Gaty Butcheryr in the spring of 1863, as related by the St. Joseph 
Herald : 

The steamboat Sam Gaty had arrived at Sibley's Landing where tl^^^^^^^^^ 

was close to shore, and was ^^^^^ ^l^^tZ^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^ 

cracking of a dozen or more guns. Ihe p o P^^^t 'i^y '" , ,^^^ .^l, ^^^^. 




passeng 
armed. 



S^^^S^^-'^S^^^^^^^"^^' 



238 'TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

le Avas in M^ajor Berry's cavalry command, actinj!; as Quartermaster. For a time 
18 was Serjeant-Major of the 5tli Cavalrv, Col. Feniok. Diirini: tlie la.st winter 
le was frequently eniraired, with A.ssij*tant-Secretarj Rodman, in tlie Senate at 
rclTerpon City, in writinif up the journal. He was a younij man of the most j^^en- 
irous impulses, and will be mourned by a large number of men, who icill avenge 
lis death. 

Ihe cowardly butchers next blew out the brains of William Henry, a member 
if Capt. Wakerlin's company. He, too, was a St. Joseph l)oy, and was formerly 
injiaired in a stall in our city market, and at one time, we think, laboreil for John 
r*. Hax, a meat dealer. He leaves a wife and four children in our city wholly 
inprovided for. They next led out to slaughter yuunfi Schuttner, of this town, 
viioiii they first robbed of ?20U, then shot. He revived the next morning, and 
vill probabl}"^ recover. 

The most revolting act in the bloody drama was the ordering ashore of twenty 
legrocs, drawing them up in line, one man holding a lantern up by the side of 
heir faces, while the murderers sliot them, one by one, through the head. This 
nhuinan butcher}' was within three yards of the boat. One negro alone of all 
hat wore shot is alive. 

Ciirist. llabacher, who lives near Hamilton's Mill, in this city, was aboard, but 
nanaged to hide his money, and got off scot free. Charley, formerly bar-keeper 
or Christian Wagner, in Jellerson City, was robbed of every dollar he had, some 
5450. (ieorge Schriver of this city was li-d out to be shot, and a watchman on the 
)oat halloed, "hold on there, he is one of my deck hands," and they Ifd him back, 
aking ST2 from him, being all he had except $20, which he had secreted on the 
)oat. George ]\Iorenstecker, a grocer, on the corner of Tenth street and Frede- 
ick avenue, in this city, and a captain in the 33d Missouri, was rcjbbed of §1060 
ind his gold watch. The affair ended by the gang going aboard the boat and 
lompelling the passengers to throw overb()ard fifty wagon-beds, 100 sacks of flour, 
,nd a large amount of other stores, including sugar, coffee, etc. Wearing apparel 
if ladies and gentlemen was indiscriminately plundered. 

There were about 80 contrabands aboard, sent on their way to Kansas by Gen. 
!Jurtis. Sixty jumped off and ran away, and are no>v under Col. Penick, whose 
oen are scouring the country for these murderers. When the guerrillas drew 
heir revolvers on the negroes as they stood in line, the women on the boat 
creamed and cried, and begged them not to kill them, but the work of death 
vent on. 

Speedy ven£^eaiice followed this act of diabolism. These guerrillas 
vere pursued into Jackson county by Major Eansom of the Gth Kansas, 
leventeen of them shot, and two hung. Indeed, retribution swift and 
errible often overtook the perpetrators of these cruel wrongs. The 
Palmyra Courier describes a tragic scene of this nature, which occurred 
n the fall of 1863. 

Saturday last, the 18th instant, witnessed the pertormance of a tragedy in this 
ince quiet and beautiful city of Palmyra, which in ordinarily peaceful times 
vould have created a profound sensation throughout the entire country, but Avhich 
low scarcely produces a distinct ripple upon the surface of our turbulent social 
ide. 

It will be remembered by our readers that on the occasion of Porter's descent 
ipon Palmyra, he captured, among other person, an old and highly respected res- 
dent of this city, by name, Andrew AUsman. This person formerly belonged to 
he 3d .Missouri Cavalry, though too old to endure all the hardships of very active 
luty. He was, therefore, detailed as a kind of special or extra Provost ^hirshal's 
juard or cicerone — making himself generalh' useful in a variety of ways to the 
military of the place. Being an old resident and widely acquainted with the 
leople of the pi ice and vicinity, he was frequently called upon for information 
ouching the loyalty of men, which he always gave to the extent of his ability, 
.hough acting, we believe, in all such cases, with great candor, and actuated solely 



IN MISSOURI. ooQ 

by a conscientious desire to discharge his whole duty to his government His 
knowledge of the surrounding country was the reason of liis hein.r iVeQuentlv 
called upon to act as a guide to scouting parties sent out to arrest disloval per- 
sons. So efficiently and successfully did he act in these various capacitnvs that 
he won the bitter hatred of all the rebels in this city and vicinity, and they only 
awaited the coming of a favorable opportunity to aratify their desire for reveno-e 
The opportunity came at last, when Porter took Palmvra. 'iliat the villains, wfth 
Porter's assent, satiated their thirst for his blood by the deliberate and predeter- 
mined murder of their helpless victim, no truly loval man doubts. When they 
killed him, or how, or where, are items of the act not yet revealed to the public. 
Whether he was stabbed at midnight by the dagger of the assassin, or shot at 
midday by the rifle of the guerrilla; whether he was hung, and his body hidden 
beneath the scanty soil of some oaken thicket, or left as food for hogs to fatten 
upon;_ or whether, like the ill-fated W^ieat, his throat M-as severed from ear to ear, 
and his body sunk beneath the wave — We know not. But that he was foully, cause- 
lessly murdered, it is useless to attempt to den^^ 

When General ]\IcXeil returned to Palmyra, after that event, and ascertained 
the circumstances under whiidi Allsman had been abducted, he caused to be is- 
sued, after due deliberation, the following notice : 

"Palmyra, i\Io., October 8. 

" Joseph C. Porter — Sik : xVndrew Allsman, an aged citizen of Palmyra, and 
non-combatant, having been carried from his home by a band of persons unlaw- 
fully arrayed against the peace and good order of the State of Missouri, and 
which band was under your control this is to notify you that unless said Andrew 
Allsman is returned, unharmed, to his family within ten days from date, ten men 
who have belonged to your band unlawfully sworn by you to carry arms ngainsfc 
the Government of the United States, and who are now in custody, will be shot, 
as a meet reward for their crimes, among which is the illegal restraining of said 
Allsman of iiis liberty, and, if not returned, presumptively aiding in his murder. 

" Your prompt attention to this will save much suffering. 

" Yours, etc. W. R. Strachan. 

" Provost ^Marshal General, District N. E. Mo, 
"Per order of Brigadier General commanding McNeil's column." 

A written duplicate of this notice he caused to be placed in the hands of the 
wife of Joseph C. Porter, at her residence in Lewis county, who,_it was well- 
known, was in frequent communication with her husband. The notice was pub- 
lished widely, and as Porter was in northeast Missouri during the whole of the 
ten days subsequent to the date of this notice, it is impossible that, with all his 
varied" channels of information, he remained unappraised of General JMcNeils 
determination in the premises. 

Many rebels believed the whole thing was simply intended as a scare— declar- 
inir that :McXeiI did not dare (!) to carry out the threat. t • <■ 

The ten days elapsed, and no tidings came of the murdered Allsman. It is not 
our intention to dwell upon the details of this transaction. Ihe tenth day ex- 
pired with last Friday. On that day ten rebel prisoners, already m c^.stody, were 
selected to pay, with'the lives, the penalty demanded. The names of the men so 
selected wei'e as follows : ^ . , ir tj- i„„ 

Willis Baker, Lewis county; Thomas Humston, Lewis county ; Morgan 13is er 
Lewis county; John Y. McPheeters, Lewis county; IJerbert Hudson, alls 
county; Captain Thomas A. Snider, Monroe county; Lleazer Lake, Scotland 
countv; Hiram Smith, Knox county. , . , nr AiioT,,or. woq rp- 

These parties were informed Friday evening that unless Mr. Allsman was re 
turned to his family by one o'clock on the following day, they would be shot at 

^''MoSt of them received the announcement with composure ^^ {"f fi^?J^J'^:J^ ^^^^ 
Rev. James S. Green, of this city, remained with them during tl^'^t °'Sht, as the r 
spiritual adviser, endeavoring to prepare them for their sudden entrance into the 

presence of their Maker. , ^„„„r>r,v. drove to 

A liulo after 11 o'clock a. m., the next day, three government wagons diove 



40 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

le jail. One contained four, and each of the others three rough board coffins, 
he condemned mere conducted from the prison and seated in the wagons — one 
3on each coffin. A suliicient guard of soldiers accompanied them, and the cav- 
cade started for the fatal grounds. Proceeding east to Main-street, tlie cortege 
irned and moved slowly as far as Malone's livery-stable; thence turning east, it 
itercd the Hannibal road, pursuing it nearly to the residence of Colonel James 
ulbertson ; there, throwing down the fence, they turned northward, entering the 
ir-grounds (half a mile east of town) on the west side, and driving within the 
rcular amphitheater, paused for the tinal consummation of the scene. 

The ten coftins were removed from the wagons, and placed in a row, six or 
ght feet apart, forming a line, north and south, about fifteen paces east of the 
sntral pagoda or music stand in the center of the ring. Each coffin was placed 
1 the ground with its head toward the east. Thirty soldiers, of the Missouri 
ate-railitia, were drawn up, in a single line, facing the row of coffins. This line 
i" executioners extended directly from the east base of the pagoda, leaving a 
)ace between them and the coffins of twelve or thirteen paces. Keserves were 
rawn up in line upon either flank of tliese executioners. 

The arrangements completed, the doomed men knelt on the grass between their 
)ffias and the soldiers, and while the Rev. K. M. Rhodes oH'ered up a prayer, 
t the conclusion of this each prisoner took his seat upon the foot of his coffin, 
cing the muskets which, in a few moments, were to launch them into eternity, 
hey were nearly all firm and undaunted. Two or three only showed signs of 
epidation. 

The most noted of the ten was Captain Thomas A. Snider, of Monroe county, 
ho was captured, at Shelbyville, disguised as a woman. He was now elegantly 
;tired in a coat and pantaloons of black broadcloth and a white vest. A luxu- 
ous growth of beautiful hair rolled down his shoulders, which, with his fine 
jrsonai appearance, could not but bring to mind the handsome but vicious Abso- 
m. There was nothing especially worthy of note in the appearance of the others, 
ne of them, Willis Baker, of Lewis count}', was proven to be the man who, some 
me before, shot and killed Mr. Kzekiel Pratte, his union neighbor, near Wil- 
amstown, in that county. All the others were rebels of lesser note, the particu- 
rs of whose crimes we are not familiar with. 

A few minutes after one o'clock, Colonel Strachan, provost-marshal-general, and 
ev. Mr. Rhodes, shook hands with the prisoners. Two of them accepted band- 
ies for their eyes — all the rest refused. A hundred spectators had gathered 
•ound the anifihitheater to witness the impressive scene. The stillness of death 
jrvaded the place. 

The officer in command now stepped forward, and gave the word of command : 
Ready — aim — fire! " The discharges, however, were not made simultaneously, 
'obably through want of a perfect understanding of the orders and of the time 
; which to lire. Two of the rebels fell backward upon their coffins and died in- 
antly. Captain Snider sprang forward and fell with his head toward the soldiers, 
is face upward, his hands clasped upon his breast, and the left leg drawn half 
ay up. He did not move again, but died immediately. He had requested the 
)ldiers to aim at his heart, and they had obeyed but too implicitly. 'J'he other 
!ven were not killed outright; so the reserves were called in, who dispatched 
lem with their revolvers. 

Tiie lifeless remains were then placed in the coffins; the lids, upon which the 
[ime of each man was written, were screwed on, and the solemn procession re- 
irned to town by the same route it had pursued in going; but the souls of ten 
len that went out came not back. 

Friends came and took seven of the corpses; three were buried by the military 
I the public cemetery; and the tragedy was over. 

Eetaliation of the same character occurred at St. Louis, on the 29th 
f October, 1864, for the murder of 3Iajor Wilson, of the 3d Missouri, 
nd six of his men, by the guerrilla chief, Sim Eeeves. The major 
nd his comrades had been taken prisoners at Pilot Knob, and were 



IN MISSOURI. 



Ml 



killed after their surrender. Their bodies were accidentally discov- 
ered iu the woods by young men out gathering persimmons. Three 
of them were horrible mutilated by the hogs. The others had on 
United States unilbrms, one being that of a major of cavalry. From 
papers and orders in his pocket, and other circumstances, it Avas 
identified as that of the unfortunate Wilson. Ui^on this, six rebel 
prisoners, of the Arkansas and Missouri cavalry, were selected to be 
shot iu retaliation. The names of these doomed men were: James 
W. Gates, Geo. T. Bunch, Hervey H. Blackburn, John Nichols, Chas. 
W. Minnekin, and Asa V. Ladd. The circumstances of their execu- 
tion were thus detailed at the time : 

The men were told of their fate, last night, and were allowed every opportunity 
for preparation that could, under the circumstances, be given. They were placed 
together in a separate ward, and it is said that the scene beggared description. 
They were cut to the soul witli horror, and gave expression to their terrible agony 
with such wailings as can not be repeated. 

In the mean time Lieutenant-Colonel Heinrichs chose the place of execution, 
at Fort No. 4, the same place where Barney Gibbons, the deserter, was shot sev- 
eral weeks ago, and made such necessary preparations as he could. Six stakes 
were sunk in the ground, eight feet apart, each stake having a little seat attached 
for the men to sit upon, and the name, rank, regiment, etc., of eauh man was in- 
scribed on a label tacked overhead. 

The place was well adapted for the purpose, because it was clear of the city, 
yet sufficiently near ; the space was large and open, and the parapet of the fort 
would receive any bullets that might miss their mark. 

At half past two, the prisoners, under a strong guard, left the (xratiot-street 
prison, and were marched out to the fort, where the troops of the post were al- 
ready under arms and forming a hollow square, with the six stakes at the upper, 
open side. Upon arriving on' the ground, the six men were placed, each beside 
his stake and ordered to take his seat, after which their arms were pinioned to the 
stakes, behind, to prevent the bodies f\illing forward on the ground lifry-four 
men, fortv-four of the 10th Kansas (dead shots,) and ten of the 41st Missouri, 
were detailed as the tiring-party. Thirty six men stood six before each stake 
with three in reserve, behind each six, in case the first volley should not be ef- 

^' The'' wretched men were allowed to speak. They said it was hard to be com- 




scene then presented was thr 

GATBS BUNCH. BLACKBURN. NICHOLS. MINNEKIN. L.ADD. 

t coffin. t coffin. t coffin. f coffin. f coffin. f coffin. 
' Fifteen paces. 

t t 




l.ieutenanc-v.oi()n«i n^..-- ■ -■-- doomed men died almost instanwjr. 

six muskets flashed as -«' ■]":^ ^^^s t IrouglT the heart; the sixth died even 

Five out of the six received two buuecs uuo ^ 

sooner than those thus shot. ^ 

I.- ^c of i-inri-nr bv an account oi tne ven- 

We conclude these narratives of honoi oy an 



242 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

tralia Butchery, which took place on the 27th of Soptombcr, ISGt. 
The only satisfactory reflection connected with the affair is, that a 
few days after, Anderson, the guerrilla leader, was killed, and his 
band routed, near Albany, by a force sent out in pursuit, under Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel S. P. Cox, 32d lle.ij;iment E. M. M. The particulars of 
the butchery were thus given in the St. Joseph Morning Herald: 

Bill Anderson and his body of bushwhacking: fiends, numlterini: from 2o0 to 300 
men, rude into the town of Contralia, on the Xorth-Missoiiri IJailroad, and there 
waited for the passenj^er-train coniin^f nortli to ]\hicon. lie liad liis pickets sta- 
tioned a luile from town, on a prominent place in tlie prairie. Passen«i;ers on the 
train saw them and believed they were rebels; but the conductor, supposing all 
was ri^ht, and anticifiatini^ no dauL'cr, ran the train into Centralia. 

As it approached the station, Anderson had his men drawn up near it, and 
mounted, ready to run in case there was any force on the train ; but finding there 
"was none, he ijave orders to dismount and surround the train, which his men did 
with their revolvers in their hands. Then commenced a scene of consternation: 
men, women, and children, fritriitened and cryinjr, implofinji for their lives, money, 
and the clothing they had on their per.sons — all were in the greatest state of alarm 
and confusion. Anderson's men walked through the cars with pistol in hand. 

They would point their pistols at the passengers' fiices, ready to fire if they did 
not hand over their money and valuables. J?ome passengers, who were fright- 
ened, at once handed over every thing they had which was of any account. 
Others, having more presence of mind, tlirew their money to the ladies, who were 
not molested by the bushwhackers, as Anderson told his men, in the train, not to 
trouble women or children. After they had robbed the passengers, they ordered 
them out into a line and marched them around the blufl' and kept them there a 
short time. 

There being twenty-four unarmed soldiers a1)oard, they were ordered into a 
line, marched out a few paces from the train and shot. After they had killed the 
soldiers, one of Anderson's men said he recognized a German .Jew, in the crowd 
of citizens, who had tried to have him hung, when a prisoner among the federals 
and, as soon as he had finished talking, fired at the Jew. He was then ordered 
out of the line, when a number of Anderson's men fired at him, kflling him in- 
stantly. While some of the bushwhackers were guarding the passengers others 
were rifling the baggage-car and taking what they wanted. 

After possessing themselves of the plunder, they set fire to the passenger-train, 
and it was soon in ashes. In the mean time a freight-train had arrived. It was 
also captured and burnt. The engine of the passenger-train was all that was 
saved. They all then left, going in the direction of the Missouri Kiver. Home 
of the passengers came to iSturgeon, some went below, and some remained at 
Centralia. One passenger was robbed of S2,O0U, and others of smaller amounts. 
If a passenger did not give up his money he was threatened with being shot. An 
officer and a soldier saved their lives by being dressed in citizen's clothes. 

Among the brave and noble soldiers who were shot were some from Atlanta, 
on furlough and discharged. A lieutenant, who was a cripple, was with them, 
and was walking on crutches. He was ordered to take off his coat and vest 
They then killed him. Two hours after they had burnt the train, a detach- 
ment, numbering 150 men, of Colonel Keutzner's regiment of twelve-months' 
men, and under the command of Major Johnson, arrived at Centralia, and imme- 
diately formed in line of battle. Anderson also drew up in line of battle and 
ordered his men forward. They came on with a yell; making a dash on the fed- 
erals, causing their horses to stampede and scatter in all directions, his men after 
them, and shooting them down. Some fifteen made their way into Sturgeon; 
and it is thought, from the information of those who escaped, that fifty or seventy- 
five soldiers were killed. 'J'hey were new recruits; had seen no service; their 
horses were wild and unmanageable, and they were forced to retreat. 

An eye-witness, a gentleman from Indiana, gave these additional 
incidents of the slaus-hter : 



IN MISSOURI. 9^0 

The engineer of the northern-bound train said the steam in the boiler wag 
quite low, and that, after he discovered the character of the troops in Centralia 
it was an utter impossihilify to back the train out of dampen This ma_v be true' 
but many people will a.sk why that train was suffered to run into a band of bush- 
whackers, when the conducior and passengers saw them a mile distant, and it 
■was well known that Bill Anderson's gang had, that morning, been at that 
station. 

As soon as the train stopped, Anderson walked to the platform and ordered the 
passengers to march out. Our informant said Anderson appeared to be a man 
about tive feet ten inches high, rather slim, black beard, long black hair inclined 
to curl, and altogether a. promising looking man of about thirty-two years of age. 
He was dressed in a federal soldiers' coat, black pantaloons, and cavalry hat. He 
ordered the citizens — men, women, and children — to march in one direction, and 
those dressed in soldiers' clothes in the other. In getting off the platform two of 
the soldiers hung back, and talked against obeying orders. They were shot by 
Anderson, and fell off between the cars. This had the effect of causing a 
stampede of the passengers, who rushed off the cars in great confusion. There 
were twenty-four soldiers on board the train, belonging to the 23d, 24th, and the 
old 25th Missouri infantry. Some were wounded and sick, returning home on 
furlough, and some were discharged. One was wounded in the leg and hobbled 
on crutches. All the soldiers were formed in line, and Anderson walked up to 
them and thus addressed them : 

" You federals have just killed six Of my soldiers ; scalped them and left them 
on the prairie. I am too honorable a man to permit any body to be scalped; 
but 1 will show you that I can kill men with as much skill and rapidity as any 
body. From this time forward I ask ho quarter and give none. Every federal 
soldier on whom I can put mv finger shall die like a dog. If I get into your 
clutches I shall expect death. "'You are all to be killed and sent to hell. That is 
the way every d — d soldier shall be served who falls into my hands." 

Some of the soldiers remonstrated, declaring that they were just from Sher- 
man's army, and had nothing whatever to do Avith killing and scalping any of his 
men. Anderson replied : " l' treat you all as one. You are federals ; and federals 
scalped my men, and carry their scalps at their saddle-bows." A line of bush- 
whackers, with revolvers, were then drawn up before the soldiers, who cried and 
begged for their lives ; but every man was shot. „ , , , , , ,, 

All fell but one, who was shot through the shoulder. He dashed through the 
guerrillas, ran through the line of citizens chased and fired at by the hends, 
crawled under the cars, and thence under the depot-building Ihe building was 
fired and he was soon forced to come out. He emerged from the smoke and flame, 
and with a club knocked down two of Anderson's men before they killed him 
He fell pierced with twenty bullets. The passengers were then robbed ot their 

^t:r;^::t^i:t:::^^ way to St. Joseph with his mother He slipped a 
bundled dollars in greenbacks into his boot-leg, and, on demand, handed ov r the 
LTnce. A guerrilla asked him if he had secreted any money and he den-i hat 
he had. He^as told that he would be searched and f f,\ f jT-^/^^^tr ted 
found on him he would be killed. He then ackno^dedged *^t^,^.^,/ '^f,^f ^';;^; 
one hundred dollars in his boot, which was drawn off by ^^^^l^^e \>lla. the "^^^^^^^^^ 
obtained, and the young man shot dead. A gold watch was found in the boot ot 
German and he was instantly killed. 

When the war began, Missouri was a slave state ; ^^t before it 
ended by her own act, there is not a slave on her soil, ihis teiiiDie 
incx'bus being removed, she is prepared to advance rapidly in the 
path of happiness and prosperity. 



THE TIMES 

OF 

THE REBELLIOISr 

IN 

KANSAS. 



ThoiTgh young and weak Kansas has taken an important part in 
the war^'for the union, and proved her devotion, not only by the hero- 
ism of her sons in the field, hut by the sutferings she has endured 
from her unwavering steadfastness. Though not the cause, she may 
be reo-arded in a certain sense as the occasion of the terrible war 
which has deluged the land with blood. This must be evident to all 
acquainted with her struggles for existence as a state, for out of them 
arose the republican parfv, the election of a republican president, and 
the rebellion of the southern states against his rule 

Thouo-h no great battle has been fought on her sod, the valor of her 
sons has been illustrated in many a fierce conflict; and the fiendish 
atrocities which have been enacted within her borders, wdl forever- 
entitle her to the sad, yet truthful, distinction which suffering for 
right ever bestows. At the breaking out of the war, the b^tred of 
pro-slavery men in Missouri burst forth upon this weak and unpro- 
I'cted neighbor with redoubled fury, and -^-^^^^^^^t 

The Kansas volunteers were in the earliest conflicts of the wai on 
the borders; and with such spirit had ^1-7 entered into th^^^^^^^^ 
when taken prisoners, they were the «Pec^^l 7^f."^f .^V^rtirun- 
nancy of the rebels. The Kansas ^''^^TJ^'TiF^Lof^^^^ 
der the leadership of Cleneral James Q. Bkmt, the heio of ^^^7 ^^J 
der fights, nearly all of them victories. We give a biief account 
his operations. 

In September. 1862, a body of his cavalry, co-manded by Colonel Cloud^went 
in pursuit of a body of rebels "[if-j^-^.^^et^nto Boston mountains 

them at Cane Hill, in Arkansas^ ^^jftLmo within a few miles of the Ar- 
with Cloud in swift pursuit. He f^ased them to w^tlun ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^ 

kansas ; but the fleet-footed Emme ^japed w th -re^^o^^^.^^^ ^,^ ^^^^p, der 
cember following occurred the ?>a<<^eoy i^ra;r;6 0^ Herron's forces from being 
Gen. Blunt came in most opportunely, saving ^^^^- ^^ T^e details are 

overwhelmed, and bringing a noble victory to the union 

given on page, 19.5. ^ , rtlnnt hpaded his little column and started 

^ On the 5th of July, of the next year, fl"°]^^jj'fj^de the march to Arkansas 
from Fort Scott for the front of h'^ «-;-^^°J- 3500 strong, of all colors; crossed 
(175 miles) in four days ; organized his force, ^,ow o, ^^^ 

15 



246 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

the Arkansas, and attacked Cooper's. combined force of G, 000 men, at Honey 
Springs; fought half a day, totally routed him; rested a couple of days on the 
battle tield, and then fell back to the Arkansas again. This brilliant movement 
effectually crippled the enemy. 

But this was not enough. The rebels had merely fallen back south of the Ca- 
nadian. They held Fort Smith — an old and historical post of the government, 
in the Indian territory, substantially fortified, and a fine base for operations. 
'J'he government had decided to colonize the Kansas Indians in the Indian terri- 
tory — the Kickapoos, Sacs and Foxes, Delawares, Shawnees, and Osages — few in 
number, but highly civilized; and it was clear that the rebels must be driven out 
before this could be accomplished. General Blunts call for reinforcements was 
at length partially answered. Colonel Cloud's brigade of Arkansas, Missouri and 
Kansas troops, which had been stationed in southwest Missouri, was ordered to 
move into northwestern Arkansas, and support General Blunt. He ordered them 
to join his immediate command, which they did the 19th of August; and the 22d 
of August he again took the field south of the Arkansas. A ten-days campaign 
ensued, that, in arduous marches, rapidity of movement, and decisive results, has 
been rarely equaled. Every march was a battle — every roadside was lined with 
the enemy's dead — running fights of twenty-five, thirty-five, and one of fifty miles 
in a day, were the characteristics of the movement. In the result, Fort Smith was 
taken. This town, for more than two years, had been a general headquarters of 
rebellion and treason. Few places had suffered as much from the desolation of 
war as this once flourishing town ; and great was the misery brought upon the 
people who had been dragooned into subserviency to treason. 

The amount of territory recovered and occupied by the federal forces, during 
bhese operations, was great. Not a general had then restored a country so vast to 
the sovereignty of the government. It is true, he had no large armies to encoun>- 
ier, but the enemy always outnumbered him three to one, were led by experienced 
jfficers, and made to believe that their homes, their safety, their all, depended on 
lis defeat. "With unwavering courage and persistent energy, he pushed them 
^rom post to post, and from camp to camp, till they abandoned their unrighteous 
conquest, and left it to undergo, without disturbance, the process of a full rcstora- 
;ion of federal sway. 

On the 6th of the ensuing October, his wagon train and escort were surprised 
3y a large body of Quantrill and Coffey's guerrillas, disguised in federal uniforms, 
ivhen most of them, naAc-stricken. fled. Gen. Blunt, who was along, rallied a 
jmall band of men under^»eut." Pierce, of the 14th Kansas, and drove back theii 
idvance. About 75 of the union soldiers were killed. This number included 
;he wounded, all of whom were massacred. Among these were ^lajor Curtis and 
Mr. O'Neill, artist for Frank Leslie's paper. Gen. Blunt, in his history of th< 
iisaster, said : " I was fortunate in escaping, as, in my efforts to halt and rally th< 
men, I frequently got in the rear and became considerably mixed up with the 
rebels, who did not fail to pay me their compliments. Revolver bullets flew around 
my head thick as hail — but not a scratch. I believe I am not to be killed by a 
rebel bullet." 

THE LAWRENCE MASSACRE. 

The bloodiest tragedy of the war took place just after daylight on 
the morning of the 20th of August, 1863, when that guerrilla chief. 
Quantrill, and his cutthroat band, numbering about 300, suddenly and 
secretly stole into Lawrence, murdered many of its peaceful and un- 
armed inhabitants, and after satiating their thirst for plunder and 
blood, applied the torch and destroyed a great portion of this young 
and flourishing city. From the accounts of various witnesses, wo 
give the soul-harrowing details : and yet there are men — many call- 
ing themselves Christians — all through the north, who would like to 
preserve an institution which alone could produce such horrible fiends 



IN KANSAS. 247 

as the Lawrence murderers. One who visited the scene of blood just 
after the occurrence, writes : 

We arrived in Lawrence at 7 o'clock. Flying rumors had painted a terrible 
picture, but the reality^ exceeded the report. We found Massachusetts-street one 
mass of smoldering ruins and crumbling walls, the light from which cast a sick- 
ening glare upon the little knots of excited men and distracted women, gazing 
upon the ruins of their once happy homes and prosperous business. 

Only two business houses were left upon the street, one known as the armory 
and the other as the old "Miller block." And only one or two houses in 
the place escaped being burned or ransacked, and everything valuable being car- 
ried away or destroyed. Six or eight soldiers camped upon the side of the river, 
and who fired across at every rebel who appeared- upon the bank, deterred the 
cowards from destroying some of the houses near the ferry" and from cutting down 
the tlag-pole. 

Their every act during their stay in the city was characterized by the most 
cowardly barbarism, "i'hey entered the town on the gallop firing into every 
house, and when the occupants appeared at the door they were shot down like 
dogs. 

Five bodies burned to a crisp lay near the ruins of the Eldridge house. They 
could not be recognized. Judge Carpenter was wounded in his yard, and fell, 
Avhen his wife and sister threw themselves upon his body, begging for mercy, but 
to no avail. 

The fiends dismounted, stuck their pistols between the persons of his prptectors 
and fired. 

Gen. Collamore went into his well to hide, and the bad air killed him. His son 
and Pat Keefe lost their lives trying to get the father out. 

The life of District Attorney Riggs was saved by the heroism of his wife, who 
seized the bridle of the rebefs' horse who attempted to shoot him as he ran. Seve- 
ral cases of remarkable bravery of women were related to us. The wife of Sher- 
iff Hrown, three successive times put out the fire kindled to burn the house— her 
husband was hidden under the floor. i i j . 

The offices of the Journal, Tribune and Eepuhlican were, of course, leveled to 
the ground. John Speer, jr., of the Tribune, started from his home for the oflice, 
afte? the rebels came in. Mr. Murdock, a printer in the office tried to induce him 
to accompany him into a well near by for safety, but he would do nothing but go 
home to defend the house, which he did and was killed. Murdock went into the 
well and was saved. A younger son of John bpeer, sr., killed a rebel and left. 
Guests at the Eldridge were ordered out, their rooms pillaged and some of the 
people shot down. All the hotels were destroyed except the Cuy Hotel. Ihe 
loss in cash is estimated at $250,000, and in property and all at fmO^O^ 

We have seen battle-fields and scenes of carnage and bloodshed, but liave never 
witnessed a spectacle so horrible as that seen among the smoldering ruins at Law- 
Ten^ L firhtlng, no resistance but coldblooded --^e -.sphere. J- w^iole 
number lilled was over 200. We give below a list of lb killed and several 
woun^'eV The Sd^ finished their murderous work in -ar^^ --y^ase. This 
list contains no names but those of white persons. A few negroes weie killed, 
but we did not get their names : 




tlie .yojiriiff, Xieiuuei ruim"'^, ""■--- - - <?.,,„,,pi Tnnes. Georjre Uoates, J onn x>. 

& Allison, J. Z^ Ev.ans, Levi Gate. Ge,,rge Bun, S^v nuel^ Jones,^ G g^^^ ^_ ^,^^ 

Gill. Rnlph E. Dix, Stephen Dix, Capt. ^''.^%S^'J.\f^'- q^-^^ Len-ley, John W. Lawne, 
Krid.illL-. George AlbreolU S Du hns u RubeU M r ^ 



Daniel 



248 TIMES OF THE REBELLION ■ 

Pat. Kecfe, Chaa. Allen, James 'Wil.son, Charles Rij^^s, A. J. Wood?, Chas. Anderson, W. 
B. Griswokl, A. J. Cooper, Asbury Murkle, David Markle, Lewis Markle, Aaron Haider- 
man and Addison Waugh. 

Wounded. — H. W. Baker, Dennis Berryman, G. H. Sargeant, mortally; G. Smith, H. 
Hayes, M. Hampson, Mr. Livingston. 

At one house they had entered, the rebels Avere told there was a negro baby 
still there, but they said, " We will burn the G — d d — d little brat up," and they 
did. We saw its charred remains, burned black as the hearts of its murderers. 

The books of the county and district clerks were burned, but those of the regis- 
ter of deeds were in the safe, and are supposed to have been saved. Every safe 
in the city but two was robbed. In the Eldridge store, James Eldridgo and James 
Perrine gave the rebels all the money in the safe, and were immediately shot. 

The last account we have of Quantrill and his men is up to Saturday night, at 
which time he was being pressed closely by Lane, who had been skirmishing with 
him constantly since he left Lawrence. 

Lane's force was being increased rapidly by farmers, who were flocking to hiia 
with their arms, and it was their determination to follow him into Missouri, and, 
if he disbanded his gang, they would hunt them down, like w'olves, and shoot 
them. 

One of their number was captured near Olathe, and he gave the names of fifty 
of Quantrill's gang, who are citizens of Jackson county, Missouri, and are well- 
known here and have always been considered union men. 

The best-informed citizens of Lawrence are of the opinion that Quantrill's 
troops are mainly composed of paroled prisoners from remberton's army, and 
some of them from Price's command, from the fact that, they are much sunburned' 
and have the appearance of being long in the service. 

After they had accomplished tlie destruction of Lawrence, some of them be- 
came much intoxicated, but, being strapped to their horses, there was none left 
behind to give information as to who they were or where they were from. 

A resident near the town writes to his brother some additional par- 
ticulars. 

Dear Brother : You have doubtless heard before this will reach you, of the 
dreadful calamity that has befallen Lawrence and vicinity, by the sacking and 
burning of the town, and other indiscriminate slaughter of its citizens on Frida ', 
the 21st instant, i)y Quantrill and his band of incarnate demons. 

Language fails me to depict the scenes enacted on last Friday. ^lay T never 
behold the like again. But I must give you some idea of the raid and its dire re- 
sults. 

About sunrise or a little before, on the 21st instant, four men forcibly entered 
the house of a Rev. Mr. Snyder, living about a mile southeast of Lawrence, and 
pierced him through and through with balls from their revolvers, while lying in 
bed by the side of his wife. At the same time, a body of about 300 well-mounted 
beings in the shape of men, armed to the teeth, dashed into town and spread them- 
selves instantly over the whole business part of the place, shooting down every 
man who dared to show himself. 

In this dash two small camps of recruits, on Massachusetts-street (one of white, 
and the other colored) were surrounded, and the poor, defenseless fellows, with- 
out a gun in camp, and begging most piteously for their lives, were pierced 
through and through with bullets, and all but four of the two unfilled companies 
left mangled corpses on the ground. One of the poor fellows thus barbarously 
murdered for daring to become a union soldier, was a nephew of mine, the sight 
of whose bleeding, mangled body I shall never forget. 

The armory was cut ofl" from the citizens, pickets stationed around the town, 
and no chance whatever of concentrating even twenty men with arms. The peo- 
ple were completely paralyzed by this sudden and audacious dash ; indeed, the 
most of them were still in their beds when the work of murder commenced. 
The banks were robbed, safes broken open, stores ransacked, the best of every- 
thing taken, and then the building.s fired. Every man that was encountered was 
met with, " Your money or your life; " and, with few exceptions, the poor victim 



IN KANSAS. 



249 



would be shot dead, after Iiandiug over his purse, and answering what questions 
they chose to put to him. 

In several instances, they ordered men to get water for them and wait upon 
them in various ways, pledging themselves, if they would do so, their lives should 
be spared, and as soon as they had done with them, would turn around and slioot 
them down like mad dogs. One little child they sliot dead, because it cried. 
There were those with them who, evidently, were well-acquainted with the town, 
as the places and persons of active and prominent union men were made the spe- 
cial marks of vengeance. 

General Lane's fine residence was among the first, and he himself had a narrow 
escape. The editors of the several papers were objects of especial vengeance, 
and two of them were caught and murdered. I shall not attempt to give you a 
list of the precious lives taken. I believe, however, that half our business men 
were either shot down or burnt alive in their houses; and out of the fine blocks 
of stores of every description only two solitary buildings remain, and they were 
sacked. The rest is a mass of blackened ruins, under which lies, I fear, many a 
charred body, as many were shot down while attempting to escape from the burn- 
ing buildings. Nearly every house was sacked, and the best ones fired; but, ow- 
ing to the very stillness of the air at the time, the flames were extinguished in 
many, as soon as the rebels would leave, and as they had so large a programme 
before them, they could not repeat any of the performance. The work of mur- 
der, arson and robbery lasted about two hours and a half, in which time they had 
sent over one hundred innocent men to the eternal world — deprived a large num- 
ber of families of food, raiment, house and home, and destroyed about $2,000,000 
worth of property. They then took up their line of march due south, detailing 
squads of men on each side of the road to burn every house and murder every 
man. Family after family w^ould slip out into their corn-fields, to watch their 
houses burned up by these invaders, without being able to ofl'er the least resist- 
ance ; and woe be to any man who had the hardihood to remain at his house and 
ofl'er remonstrance. 

I live but two miles south of Lawrence, and three men were shot between Law- 
rence and my place, for daring to remain in sight — all of them quiet, peaceable 
men, and two of them too old to be called upon to do military duty. And now 
comes the practical application to my own case. A squad of six men are sent 
from the main body to visit my house. With guns cocked, and eyes glaring more 
ferociouslv than a tiirer's, they dash up to the l)uildings, apply a match to a large 
stack of Hungarian, then to the outbuildings, the barn and sheds, and while these 
are rolling up their volumes of smoke and flames, the house is visited, trunks 
burst open, drawers and shelves ransacked, all vahiables that could be crammed 
into pockets, or strapped on their horses, taken, and the rest enveloped in flames. 

Bv the time the flames began to recede, the next house south oimine is rolling 
up dense, volumes of smoke, and soon the next: and now they visit thehouse ot 
an old crrav-headed Dunkard, who, alas, thought that his age and religion would 
protect him, but the infuriated demons thirsted for blood, shot him down regard- 
less of the poor old man's cries and entreaties to spare his life. Ihe track, by 
fire and sword, of these murderous villains, was made through the valleys and 
over tlie hills as far as the eye could reach. -^flo^^oV.!,. 

In a little longer than it has taken me to write this, everything '"fl-™^?^^; 
was consumed-houses, furniture, bedding, clothing, books provisions, outbuild- 
rngs-'an, all utterly destroved. The work of eight years' hard toil gone in as 
many minutes and another family thrown out of house and shelter. 

I can no refi-ain from giving you an instance or two of the savage barbarity 
prL iced by these demons. I^iey. brought Mr. Trask *"/^,«^^^-;r "^. Jf J^,^,"^^ 
and told him if he would give up his money they would not shoot him, but as soon 
ashe had .wen it up he was instantly shot; he then tried to escape by running, 

%:'g.SS wr:i hlf l!:;^ ':^en they attacked him. His wife ran arid put 
heart. 



250 TIMES OF THE REBELLION 

Mr. Fitch was shot in his house, and his wife, while running to his rescue, was 
dragged away, the house fired, and poor ]N[r. Kitch burned up, it may be alive. 

A gunsmith, by the name of Palmer, and his son, were burned up in their 
shop before dying of their wounds. 

Mr. Allison, of the firm of Duncan & Allison, crawled out from under the 
burning ruins, and they threw him back again into the ruins. 

But the heart sickens. 1 can write no more. Oh, (Jod ! who shall avenge ? 

Your brother, S. R. 

Incidents. — Mr. Stone was killed by one of a party which remained in town 
after the main body had gone. They remained with the avowed purpose of kill- 
ing Miss Lydia Stone, her father and brother; and, for that purpose, ordered all 
in the house to form a line outside. Hearing this, Mr. Stevens went up stairs and 
informed Miss Stone that she, as well as himself, was marked for a victim, and 
asked if she would not try to escape. The brave girl replied that it would be 
useless; that they would probably kill some of them, and that she would share 
the danger, "it might as well be her as any of the others." 

During the confusion which ensued in front of the house, Mr. Stevens and Mr. 
Stone, jr., escaped by a back door and secreted themselves on the bank of the 
river. Finally, the house was cleared, and the citizens formed in a line outside, 
when the villains commenced questioning them, asking their names, where they 
were born, etc. A gentleman answered, " central Ohio," when one of the party 
remarked, "that is worse than Kansas," and shot him, the wound, however, not 
being fatal. A lady in the house was then fired at, when Mr. Stone commenced 
to remonstrate with them, was immediately shot, the ball entering the left side of 
the head, killing him instantly. 

We are indebted to Mr. \Vm. Kempf's account for the following facts: 

Citizens without arms, who came to the door, in obedience to their call, would 
be shot at sight. Several were shot down on the sidewalk, and when the build- 
ings burned,"their bodies would roast. Others could be seen in the burning build- 
ings. 

One of the first persons out, was Colonel Dietzler. The sight that met us when 
coming out, I can not describe. I have read of outrages committed in the so- 
called dark ages, and liorrible as they appeared to me, they sink into insignifi- 
cance in comparison with what I was then compelled to witness. Well-known 
citizens were lying in front of the spot where there stores or i-esidences had been, 
completely roasted, l^hey icere crisped and nearly black. We tJiovc/ht, at first, 
that they were all negroes, till we recognized some of them. In handling the dead, 
bodies pieces of roasted flesh icould remain in our hands. 

Soon our strength failed us in this horrible and sickening work. Many could 
not help crying like children. Women and little children were. all over town 
hunting for "their husbands and fathers, and sad indeed was the scene when they 
did finally find them among the corpses lai'd out for recognition. I can not de- 
scribe the horrors; language fails me, and the recollection of scenes I witnessed 
makes me sick, when I am compelled to repeat them. 

Captain Banks surrendered the Eklridge House, by waving a white flag from 
the window, and was promised that the ladies should be treated with respect, and 
that the men should be regarded as prisoners. The party was then sent to the 
Whitney House under escort, beinir followed all the way by three or four of the 
gang, crazed with drink, and totally regardless of the decencies of modesty in 
their remarks to the prisoners. One man was shot while the prisoners were pass- 
ing toward the Whitney House, but, upon the interposition of Quantrill's author- 
ity, they were not further injured. 

"^The Eldridge House was ransacked form cellar to garret, and plundered of 
everything which could tempt the cupidity of the guerrillas. Trunks were cut 
open, clothing taken, ladies' wardrobes seized or ruined, and the house fired, in 
the drug store below, whence the flames rapidly spread, and in a short time the 
noble structni-e was only a heap of ruins — the second destruction upon the site. 

Plunder was carried off on pack-horses, and each private of the rebel gang 
must have been greatly elated by his share of the pure money, as all the safes in 



IN KANSAS. 



251 

the city were cut open, or blown up by filling the key-holes with powder. Tn 
some instances the keys were demanded, and a refusal, in every case, was a death- 
warrant, and compliance hardly better. The amount carried awav by the "-ano- 
will probably exceed $75,000. ° ° 

Eighteen soldiers, out of twenty-two, belonging to the 14th regiment, were 
killed, with a number of the 2d colored. 

The ladies exhibited, in many instances, the greatest degree of calmness and 
courage. Among the noble women of the second sacking of Lawrence, Jliss 
Lydia Stone will always be remembered as a "ministering angel," moving with 
quiet grace among the throng of suiferers, attending to their wants and speaking 
words of comfort and cheer. 

The search Avas particularly directed for Governor Carney and General Lane, 
the rebels having heard that both were in the city. Lane's lucky star and a 
neighboring corn held saved him, and the governor was in Leavenworth. 

Eev. H. D. Fisher, a well-known minister of the Methodist Ej^isco- 
pal Church, gives a thrilling description of his escape from death dur- 
ng the massacre. He says : 

Many miraculous escapes from the assassin's hand were made — none, perhaps, 
iiore so than in my own case. For the last eighteen months I have been marked 
by rebels for death, because I have been ordered by various generals to provide 

' homes for refugees," and find work for them to do, to support themselves and 
"families. Now, three times 1 have signally escaped their hands. God has saved 
my life as by fire. When Quantrill and his gang came into our town, almost all 
were yet in their beds. My wife and second boy were up, and 1 in bed, because I 
had been sick of quinsy. The enemy yelled and fired a signal. I sprang out, and 
my other children, and we clothed ourselves as quickly as possible. 

1 took the two oldest boys and started to run for the hill, as we were completely 
defenseless and unguarded. I ran a short distance, and felt I would be killed. I 
returned to my house, where I had left my wife with Joel, seven years, and Frank, 
six months old, and thought to hide in our cellar. I told Willie, twelve years old, 
and Eddie, ten years old, to run for life, and I would hide. I had scarcely found 
a spot in which to secrete myself, when four murderers entered my house and de- 
manded of my wife, with horrid oaths, where that husband of hers was, who was 
hid in the cellar ? She replied, " The cellar is open ; you can go and see for 
yourselves My husband started over the hill with the children.' They de- 
manded a light to search. My wife gave them a lighted lamp, and they came, 
li<rht and revolvers in hand, swearing to kill at first sight. They came within eight 
feet of where I lay, but my wife's self-possession in giving the light had discon- 
certed them, and they left without seeing me. They tired our house in four 
places; but my wife, by almost superhuman efi-orts, and with baby in arms, ex- 
tinguished the fire. Soon after, three others came and asked for me. But she 
said: "Do you think he is such a fool as to stay here ? 1 hey have already 
hunted for him, but, thank God ! they did not find him/' 1 hey then comple ed 
their work of p llage and robbery, and fired the house in five places, threatening 

ok 11 her if L attempted to extinguish it again. One stood, revolver in hand 
to execute the threat if it was attempted. The fire burned furiously. Iheroot 
fell ir then the upper story, and then the lower floor; but a space about six by 
twelve fee? was irgVeat ^efibrt, kept perfectly deluged by water, by my wi/e, to 

IvTme from TurnfnS alive. I veuiinU thus concealed as -g - -"^/^ ^J^ 



252 TIMES OF THE REBELLION. 

broken garments, (not a full suit of" anythinj:; for one of us,) and somo carpet — 
with beds, books, aod everything we had to eat or read, were consumed over us, 
or before our eyes. But what of that? 1 live! Through God's mercy I live! 

A few days later, it is stated : 

One hundred and eighty-two buildings were burned, eighty of them were 
brick; sixty-five of them were on Massachusetts-street. There are eighty-fivo 
widows and two hundred and forty orphans made by Quantrill's raid. Three men 
have subscribed one hundred thousand dollars to rebuild the Free State Hotel, 
known as the Eldridge Hotel. 

Several merchants have commenced rebuilding. All the laboring men in town 
will be set to work immediately to clear off the rains. In spite of the terrible 
calamity, the people are in good spirits. All the towns in the state have sent in 
large suras of money. Even the men burned out on Quantrill's I'etreat have sent 
in loads of vegetables and provisions. 

Quantrill. — The infamous monster who perpetrated the inhuman massacre, 
was, it is said, a native of Maryland. He once lived in Cumberhuid, in that state, 
where he attempted to kill his wife. For this, he was placed in jail, where he 
raged and roared like a wild beast. He, finally, made his es ;ape to Kansas, 
where, for a time, he was known as a free state man, and, as such, took part in 
the Kansas war in 1855-0, and also in the border fights in 1861. For some rea- 
son, he became estranged from the union cause, espoused that of the rebellion, 
and became a skillful partisan leader, bold, daring, and as merciless as a hyena. 

Some time in the year previous, he was surprised at night, with a small 

band of followers, by a squad of federal troops, near Independence, Missouri. 
His companions were either killed or captured, but he managed to escape in the 
darkness, by plunging into the Missouri and swimming to the opposite shore, 
stopping at times to heap the savagest curses upon his pursuers. 

It was subsequently ascertained that Quantrill's force was composad of 300 se- 
lected men from the border counties of Missouri. Gen. Ewing in his report 
stated : With one exception, citizens along the route, who could well have given 
the alarm, did not even attempt it. One man excused himself for his neglect on 
the plea that his horses had been working hard the day before. A boy, living 
ten or twelve miles from Lawrence, begged his father to let him mount his pony, 
and, going a by-road, alarm the town, and he was not allowed to go. Mr. J. Keed, 
living in the Ilesper neighborhood, near Eudora, started ahead of Quantrill from 
that place, to carry the warning to Lawrence; his horse felling he was killed. 

The guerrillas, reaching the town at sunrise, caught most of the inhabitants 
asleep, and scattered to the various houses so promptly as to prevent the concen- 
tration of any considerable number of the men. After the massacre. Gen. Ewing 
ordered all the residents of Jackson, Cass; Bates, and part of Vernon counties, 
Mo., to remove from their residences within fifteen days. The loyal people had 
been previously driven away. As his reason for this, Gen. Ewing said: "None 
remain on their farms but rebel or neutral families; and, practically, the condi- 
tion of their tenure is, that they shall feed, clothe and shelter the guerrillas, fur- 
nish them information and deceive or withhold information from us." 

In the pursuit which was made, but few of the robbers were killed, 
most of them escaping with their blood-bought plunder. 

Nothing more brutally and wantonly bloody was ever perpetrated in any civil- 
ized or uncivilized country. The massacre at Wyoming by the Indians, the mas- 
sacre of Glencoe by English soldiers, the murder of Mamalukes by Napoleon, the 
massacre of the .Janissaries by Sultan ]\I<)hammed, the smothering of the English 
in the Black-hole by Surajah Dowlah, all acts which have left an inefliiceable stain 
on the page of history, and upon the reputations of the nations committing them, 
was less cruel, causeless, and infamous than the massacre of Lawrence, 'it will 
go down to future ages as oneof those acts which are made memorable solely by 
their monstrous character. ^ il? r 









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